


Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

by kamidontarchive



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Angst, Canon, Drama, Fluff, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-17
Updated: 2005-04-29
Packaged: 2018-12-27 02:47:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12072042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamidontarchive/pseuds/kamidontarchive
Summary: The family is in for a surprise.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from IrishCaelan, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Brian_Justin_Fanfiction_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in September 2017. I posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [The Brian/Justin Fanfiction Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bjfic/profile).

Gus’ POV

“Gus, when are you gonna tell your parents about us?”

“I told you before Chelsea that I was gonna tell them when the time was right,” I tell her as I roll out the bed to get my clothes on before her parents come home. 

“I know but I mean we have been going out for a while now and I think you should tell them that you have a girlfriend,” she says as she too gets up and starts dressing.

“What’s the big deal? You haven’t told your parents about me” I point out as I open her door and go down the steps.

“Look we are fifteen years old, we have all the time in the world to tell them,” I say pulling her close and kissing her.

“Okay your right,” she says and smiles. I turn and look at her, she is so beautiful. Long brown hair with piercing hazel eyes she…kind reminds me of Daphne, I think and laugh to myself.

“Hey you know what we are having a family dinner on Sunday you can come to that and meet my family in one big ass bunch if you want,” I tell her. 

“Oh Gus what a romantic invitation, I would love to come,” she says as we kiss goodbye and I walk out the door. 

**

Brian’s POV

“Gus Peterson, where have you been? You know that you are supposed to come straight home from school on Friday’s so that you’re Dad can pick you up” I hear Lindsay say.

“Sorry mom I lost track of time,” I hear him reply as I turn the corner and one look at that flushed face tells me that that his excuse is complete bullshit. He is fucking somebody and whoever it was I hope they are being careful.

“Hey Sonny boy, are you ready to spend the weekend with me?” I ask him and watch him jump. He always does that when he gets surprised. 

“Is Daddy J gonna be there? He asks. I know he loves hanging with Jus. They go up in the studio and paint and draw all day.

“Of course he will be there where would he go?” I ask him. “Go get your stuff so we can get out of here,” he races up the stairs before stopping half way to address his mother. 

 

“Mom, is it okay if I invite someone to dinner on Sunday? I am sure Grandma Deb won’t mind.” 

“It’s okay with me, I’ll call Deb and tell her we will be having a guest,” she says and smiles. I know she is happy because she worries about Gus so much. He is very artsy and does not have a lot of friends. 

“I’ll be down in a sec Dad,” he yells to me. God I hate when he does that, it is learned from Justin.

I turn to Lindsay and smile at her. She is as pretty now as she was in college. Gay or not that is plain to see. “When is Mel getting back, I miss her smart ass comments,” I say. She smiles at me and hits me in the arm. 

“She is on her way back already smart ass, we’ll be fucking before she unpacks the first bag,” she tells me. 

“Ugh. I just may throw up now,” I tell her.

“You do know that that shit he said about losing track of time was plain shit right,” I tell her more than ask. “That is the face of a freshly fucked teenager. He is fucking someone,” I softly say to her. 

“Brian he is fifteen years old,” she says and I stare at her.

“How old were you when started fucking around?” she goes quiet and stares up the steps. 

“Justin was seventeen when we started fucking,” I remind her. I can tell her brain is churning as Gus heads back down the steps. 

“Okay, I am ready to go,” he tells me as he looks at his mom. “Mom are you okay?” he asks her and I look at her from over his shoulder and mouth ‘say something’. 

“Umm yeah Gus I am fine, have fun with your Dad and Justin,” she says and kisses him. He heads out the door and down to the car. The corvette now happily in storage I drive the Escalade most of the time. I watch him climb in and I know I will have to address this. I don’t want him having unprotected sex and I sure as hell don’t want to be a grandfather.

**

“Hey Sunshine we’re here,” I say into the intercom. 

“Okay,” he replies. We have bought the lofts above and below this one, so Justin has his own space to retreat to. He says to paint I say to escape from me for a second. I see him come down from the studio covered in paint and at thirty-two he still takes my breath away. Hell even the paint is sexy.

He comes up to me and kisses me like I have been gone forever. “Hey baby. I brought home the devil,” I say as I gesture to Gus who is coming up the stairs with his bag. 

“Hey Daddy J, whatya working on?” he asks Justin.

“Hey Gus I am doing a painting for my Pittsburgh art show, how are you and how is school going?” Justin asks him. I move to get some water out the fridge. 

“It’s going good Daddy J, I mean as good as it was when I saw you last week and two days ago,” he says smiling.

“Yeah but were you fucking whoever you are fucking now two days ago?” I ask him with a raised eyebrow. 

“Brian, what the fuck are you talking about?” Justin asks.

I have never seen anyone turn so red so fast, not even Justin. He is frozen in place and has yet to answer my question. “I…I…umm. I’m not fucking anybody Dad,” he says.

I stare at him, I hate when people lie. I hate it even more when it’s deliberate and even more when it is done to my face and I KNOW it’s a lie. “Don’t fucking lie to me,” I tell him calmly.

“I know that you were fucking someone and I know that that person is the one who you want to invite over to Deb’s so just spill it,” I say taking a sip of my water.

**

Gus’ POV

I cannot answer him I am so scared. I want to run away and I can feel my face as it turns a bright red. “Dad I…” I try to tell him but I can’t. 

“Gus just tell us who the guy or girl for that matter is, it’s not like were going to skin you and cook your balls,” he says to me. God my Dad will never change. He has always talked like that, never sugar coated anything. 

“Dad, I really don’t want to tell you what’s going on because then you are gonna wanna give me the talk and I already know about birds and bees and shit,” I tell him and it’s half the truth. I know once I tell them about Chelsea they are all going to want to meet her right away and suck her into our crazy world.

“Well I don’t know shit about birds and bees I know about pussy…and cock, and I know about what happens when those two meet without something in between,” he says and Daddy J just smiles. 

“He is right Gus, just tell us, we want to meet her,” he adds.

“You are going to meet her on Sunday with everyone else,” I tell them. 

“Are you sleeping with her Gus?” Damn I knew he was gonna ask that again.

“Okay Dad and Daddy J if I tell you, you have to promise that you will not tell anybody else. They can all meet her on Sunday,” I tell them. I figure what can it hurt. “Okay I will tell you who she is.”

They sit down on the sofa like two stupid school girls. “Oh Jus, our little baby is growing up.” 

“I know, I remember when he was so small,” they joke to each other.

I sit down and look at them as they look at me “Do you promise, promise not to tell?” I ask them.

“Oh stop being a twat and spill Chicken Little,” my dad says.

“Okay, I met this girl in my tutoring sessions after school she was having problems with her calculus and I was assigned to her, I really didn’t want to tutor anymore students but I am the best at calculus. Anyway, one day this girl comes in with brown hair, honey colored skin and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen on a girl,” I tell them as I shift in my seat to hide the results of what happens when I think of her.

“What’s her name Gus?” they say at the same time with a chuckle and I know they can see my ‘happiness’.

“Chelsea, her name is Chelsea and she is great. I love her,” I tell them and I know I do, I love her so much.

“Gus, how do you know you love this girl?” Daddy J asks. I know he is thinking that he fell in love at a young age and had to go through a lot to keep it.

“I know I love her because when I am with her I can breathe, she is my air,” I tell them as I think about Chelsea. I hear my Dad ask something but I do not register it.

“What did you say Dad?”

“I asked what her last name is”

“Oh, Chanders, Chelsea Chanders Why,” I ask. Who cares what her last name is, she is great. They just look at each other and start laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“Chanders Gus, don’t you know that name?” I am drawing a blank; I just stare at them 

“Chanders as in Daphne Chanders. Chelsea is Daphne’s sister,” they tell me and then they laugh.

“So you’re fucking little Chelsea Chanders, that’s hilarious,” Daddy J pipes in.

I see my Dad sit up and I know he is going to get serious, damn, he might be really direct sometimes but he makes sure that it’s worth his effort.

“Gus I understand that you need to get your rocks off but listen to me, are you listening?” I look at him and shake my head. 

“I’m listening.”

“Having sex is nothing to fuck around with you need to be careful, not just for yourself but for her. If you love her as much as you say you do and she loves you then I am sure you do not want to infect her or have her infect you with anything, and you also have to worry about her getting pregnant. That would change your life,” he tells me and I am absorbing it all. “Do you have condoms?” he asks and I can feel my skin turn beet red.

“No. We have been having sex without a condom for about four months,” I tell them and I watch my Dad wince and Daddy J’s mouth flies open. 

“Holy Shit Gus,” Daddy J says.

“We’ll we will take you to get some condoms before the weekend is over, but for now let’s order some take-out,” my Dad says and I am so glad this conversation is over for now.

“I’ll get the menus,” I tell them as I go to the drawer with all the menus.

**

Chelsea’s POV

“Chelsea come on down for dinner your sister is here to grace us with her presence,” I hear my Dad say with a chuckle.

“Okay I’ll be right down, just give me a minute,” I have not been able to shake this feeling of nausea. I hear someone coming up the stairs just as my stomach losses control again. 

“Chelsea, are you okay?” thank god it’s Daphne.

“Umm yeah, I just got a little sick there for a moment,” I tell her as I sit on the floor next to the toilet. 

“You don’t look so hot,” she tells me.

“Wow what would a girl do without her sister to make her feel beautiful, and don’t tell Mom and Dad that I don’t feel good cause I want to go to dinner at my boyfriends house to meet his family on Sunday,” I tell her as I suppress another wave of nausea. 

“Man I have not been able to shake this feeling for weeks,” I tell her as I stand up and spread toothpaste on my toothbrush. 

“Hey Chelsea, have you and this boyfriend of yours been sleeping together?” she asks me as she slips herself onto the counter. 

I look at her for a moment deciding that this is Daphne and I have always told her everything. “Yeah we have been sleeping together for a couple of months.”

“Protected or unprotected?” she asks with a straight face.

“Damn Daphne you sure want to know a lot, do you want to know what he tastes like too?” I ask her as I look over at her and smile. 

“No smartass that would be way too much information,” she says as she slides off the counter and walks to the door, before she is fully through she looks back. “But IF I was fucking a guy unprotected I would ask myself if maybe I was pregnant. But, that’s me,” she smirks as she closes the bathroom door and heads back downstairs. 

I look at myself in the mirror and notice that I have gotten a little plump. I turn my body from side to side. “Shit,” I say to myself. “Shit, shit, shit,”

**  
Sunday night –Family dinner

 

“Shit, fuck I burned my finger,” Goddamn fucking oven.

“Deb calm down, you have plenty of food for everyone,” Vic says.

“I know I just want everything to be nice, I mean it’s not everyday that Mouse asks to bring someone to dinner. I cannot believe that Gus has a girlfriend,” Debbie says as she checks on the lasagna. 

“Yeah he must attract the ladies like his father attracts the men,” Debbie says as she laughs at her own joke. 

“Yeah but if he is like his father then this girl is more than a girl she is very special for him to subject her to us,” Vic says as he goes to sat the things on the table.

An hour later everybody is there but the guest of honor. Gus assures them that she is on her way and is being dropped of by her sister who is home on break. “She is coming, her sister is bringing her since she is home from the dorms on break,” he tells his family.   
Brian and Justin just sit on the sofa together with Mel and Linds. Lindsay looks like she might fall over. The thought of her baby having a girlfriend, had never entered her mind. Ted and Emmett were friends again and were chatting at the table and Michael and Ben were fussing over Jenny who at twelve was giving them and her honorary brother Hunter a hard time. Vic had moved to his chair and was watching TV. Gus watches the window and when he sees a car pull up he tells everyone to be on their best behavior. 

“You guys try to act a little less crazy than normal, okay,” he tells his family. 

**

Out in the car…

“Chelsea, are you sure this is the right address?” Daphne asks as she looks at Debbie’s house. 

“Yeah I am sure, why?” Chelsea asks confused. With her and Daphne not being close in age they had not hung with her much so she had no idea that Daphne knew this house and all its occupants.

“I am just asking because this is Debbie Novotny’s house I come her all the time. Oh shit, you’re dating Gus aren’t you, you’re dating little mouse. That is hilarious,” Daphne says as she leans over the steering wheel and laughs.

“Shut up Daphne, I love him. Wait, mouse, you call my boyfriend MOUSE, why?” she asks.

Daphne pulls herself together and looks at her sister. “When he was very little like you he used to be very quiet, he still is kinda so…we called him mouse because he was as quiet as one,” Daphne explains. 

“I think that is cute,” Chelsea says.

“Come on we better get I there since he has been looking out here since we pulled up,” Daphne says getting out of the car with her sister following close behind. Once they get to the door Gus opens it.

“Hey Daph, I just found out who Chelsea was related to,” he says as she kisses him. 

“That’s okay I know you’re a good boy,” she whispers into his ear. He smiles a smile that could rival Justin’s. Chelsea step up to him and they begin to kiss only stopping when someone clears their throat.

“Hello we are still in here and we still cannot see the person at the door,” Mel yells.

Daphne comes into view and everyone in the room looks, except Brian and Justin who are smiling. “Hello everybody, no, I am not the one dating Gus. Jeez give me a little credit,” she says as she kisses Debbie hello.

“Gus bring the girl in here you have plenty of time to suck her face,” Debbie yells.

He takes Chelsea’s coat and hangs it up. “Ready for the slaughter?” he asks to her.

“Yeah because I love you,” she says as she kisses him.

Gus brought Chelsea into view and everyone was shocked. “Everyone this is my girlfriend Chelsea,” Gus says as everyone looks from Daphne to Chelsea. 

“Your Daphne’s sister aren’t you?” Lindsay asks. 

“Yes I am, I did not know that Gus and Daphne knew each other,” she replies. 

“Well Gus, introduce your girlfriend to the family,” Brian says. Gus quickly introduces Chelsea to everyone except Justin who she already knows. She also knows that everyone says Justin’s boyfriend is gorgeous but she had no idea and now she had the mini version.

“Well now that we know its Daphne’s sister that has mouse’s heart wrapped in her hand let’s eat,” Vic says from his chair.

Everyone moves to the table and eats and laughs long into the evening. At 11 o’clock Daphne announces that she better get Chelsea back for school in the morning. Chelsea says goodbye to everyone and goes out the door with Gus. Daphne is still inside saying her goodbyes.

**  
Outside Debbie’s house…

“Hey Chelsea, you feeling alright I noticed that you did not eat a lot tonight,” Gus says as they walk to Daphne’s car. 

“I know I have been feeling a little nauseous for a couple of weeks and I kind of lost my lunch before I came over here,” she tells him. 

“Well maybe you have a bug or something,” he says to her as they come to the car and are face to face talking.

“Or maybe I could be pregnant,” she says quietly as she watches Gus’ face for any sign of him being angry. She is not surprised that he is quiet and thinking, he always gets quiet when he is thinking deeply. 

“Okay well, I think that after school tomorrow we should get a test. We can go over to my Dads’ loft before they get home and do it there,” he tells her.

“Are you sure no one will be there?”

“Yeah, my Dad works until like 7 p.m. and my Daddy J is hanging his work for his show at the gallery downtown,” he tells her. 

“Okay then tomorrow we will know and then what?” she asks looking up at Gus with wide eyes. 

“Then we deal with it,” he states firmly.

“I already know your parents you know, I used to see them all the time when Daphne would baby-sit me and I still keep in touch with them,” he tells her.

“You must not say my name around the house much,” he says smiling at her.

“No I just call you G,” she says as she leans forward and presses her lips against his. They began to make out heavily until Daphne comes walking up.

“Excuse me can you stop swapping germs and get in the car. Goodnight Gus,” she sing songs as Chelsea gets in the car and they pull off. 

The rest of the family disperses less than an hour later and Gus goes home with his mother’s so that he can get to school faster in the morning.

**  
The next day after school…

“Gus can’t we maybe go to a store with less people in it?” Chelsea asks. She is terrified that she is going to run into somebody they know.

“Chelsea, if you’re so scared why don’t you just wait outside? I will pick one and buy it,” he tells her. He wants her to feel comfortable and he doesn’t care who sees him.

“Thank you Gus,” she says as she places a kiss on his lips and goes to wait outside.

Twenty minutes later Gus comes back out the store with the small bag that holds the test that would determine the course of their lives, “You ready to go?” he asks as he steps up to her. 

“Yeah,” she says as she stands and they get on the bus to go to the loft. 

The bus lets them off at the corner and they walk to the loft, Gus unlocks the door and they go in. Entering on the second floor Chelsea can not help but feel overwhelmed.

“HOLY Shit Gus, your fathers are fucking rich,” she says as she looks at the loft and all its belongings. 

“No not rich, well maybe a little rich but they also just like nice stuff,” he explains. 

“Well do you want to get something to drink or do you just want to take the test?” he asks. 

“I think I will feel better if we took the test,” she says. They open the box read the instructions and then she goes into the bathroom to pee on the stick. Fifteen minutes later they are staring at the blue stick like it is going to spontaneously combust. 

“Holy Shit, Holy Shit, HOLY SHIT,” Gus said. My fucking father is going to kill me. Gus says as he runs his hands over his face. He looks over at Chelsea who has tears in her eyes.

“I don’t know what to feel, I mean I am so happy and scared all at the same time,” she says as she absentmindedly throws the stick in the trash. 

“We better go Gus cause I gotta be home soon.”

“Yeah okay,” he says as he gathers their stuff and locks the loft back up. They walk to the corner with Chelsea’s head leaning on his shoulder. “I love you Chelsea, you know that right” he says as they wait for the bus. 

“I know. I love you too,” she says kissing him. The bus pulls up and they board, heading for Chelsea’s neighborhood.

**  
Back at the loft…

Justin gets home and goes straight to his studio on the second floor. He is so happy to be done with hanging his work for his show, a show he will not attend. He never goes to his shows. He will show up after and he and Brian will walk through together, it was their thing. He is straightening up when he goes into the bathroom to get more cotton swabs to clean one of his tools, as he leans over the trash he looks down and notices the little blue stick. He grabs a tissue and picks it up. 

“Oh Shit,” he says as he sees the very prominent blue line. Brian is going to kill that boy.


	2. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

Brian’s POV

“I’m going to kill that kid. I don’t believe this I was just talking to him about using condoms. I mean how fucked up is this?” I say to Justin who is just sitting on the bed watching me rant and rave.

“I guess your talk came a little too late,” he says.

“You think so smartass, so…do I wait for him to tell us or do I tell him that we know?” I ask. I cannot believe that this is happening. I don’t want to be a grandfather I was just adjusting to Gus being a teenager.

“I think that you should invite him and Chelsea over and then we can ask them if there is anything that they would like to tell us,” he says.

I sit down on the bed as he crawls up behind me and wraps his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder. “Everything will be fine,” he tells me.

“Nothing in our life is ever just fine Sunshine it always takes us going through mounds and mounds of bullshit to get to fine,” I tell him.

 

**

Gus’ POV

 

“Everything is going to be fine Chelsea,” I tell her and I really don’t know if I believe that. “We just have to decide exactly what it is that we are going to do.”

“I don’t want to have an abortion Gus, but, I am really scared about what our parents are going to say,” she says. At least she only has to think of two people, I have to answer to four and that is only four people immediately, once the whole family finds out I won’t ever catch a break.

“I don’t want you to get an abortion either, that’s our baby in there, yours and mine,” I tell her. The bell rings indicating that we have to go back to class and as we start down the hall I pull her to a stop. “You know I am going to marry you one day,” I say as I kiss her lips. We are stopped from getting to far into it by stupid Ms. Janice Muller who patrols the halls with an eye like a general. 

“Gus and Chelsea that is quite enough of that now go to class,” she says. 

I roll my eyes before turning to Chelsea, “It will be okay, I promise,” I can only hope it is a promise that I can keep. My dad always says that it is important to keep your word and I just hope that I can.

I walk into the classroom as Chelsea walks to hers. My dad was right about one thing, my whole life is about to change. Chelsea’s whole life is about to change, all our lives are about to change.

 

**

Lindsay’s POV

 

“Lindsay…I thought that you were going to change the sheets in Gus’ room today,” Mel says as she picks up all his clothes and takes the bedding off his bed.

“I was but I got caught up in Jenny’s room, it’s a mess in here. I don’t think that this girl needs anymore toys ever,” I yell into the other room as I laugh. I have been picking up toys and cleaning all day. I am just finishing Jenny’s room when Mel comes and leans against the door. “Lindsay, did you give Gus condoms?” she asks me. I turn around quickly and I see the condom box that Mel is so prominently holding.

“NO why would I buy our fifteen year old son condoms, maybe he bought them himself,” I say not wanting to tell her what Brian said because for all their arguing and fussing Mel and Brian are just alike and she will not be happy, she will be down right pissed.

“What does he need con…doms…for?” she asks as her voice trails off slowly thinking about her own question. “Is he fucking somebody? Who is he fucking? WHERE is he fucking?” she asks as her brain begins to run through Gus’ childhood piece by piece. 

“Oh no, you think he is fucking Chelsea?” she says.

“That would seem the most obvious choice,” I say as I walk over to her and stand against the other side of the door. We look at each other.

“Brian thinks that they have been fucking and probably for a while, I think he is going to talk to him about it,” I tell her knowing it will not make her feel better.

“Oh great Brian is going to talk to him about sex, now he will be fucking more than he ever was,” she says. I hit her on the arm and she shrugs “Well I’m just saying,” she says with a smile. She and Brian will never admit that they like each other. 

“So what should we do?” she asks me. 

“I think that this time we should let Brian and Justin handle the situation, Gus is at a point in his life where he needs his father and his daddy to guide him,” I tell her as I lean forward to kiss her. “Plus we will have enough trouble on our hands when Ms. Jenny turns thirteen in a couple of weeks,” I tell her as I go down the steps to get the vacuum. 

“Fine but he better not come back her saying that his girlfriend is pregnant,” I hear her say.

“Oh god I hope not,” I tell her. 

**

Chelsea’s POV

“Fuck Gus, what are you doing in there?” I say as I sit on the floor. We have been here forever and everyone else went home an hour ago.

I am waiting for Gus outside his classroom and I feel like I could throw up everything that I ate for lunch, nausea does not affect all pregnant people but I just had to be one of the unlucky ones. Finally I see Gus come out the room and he does not look too pleased.

He walks over to me and helps me up off the floor. “Hey, what’s wrong? What happened in there, what did he say?” I ask him.

“He wants me to go to the National Science Competition that they hold at M.I.T every year,” he tells me. I don’t understand what the bad part of this is. “Gus, isn’t that a good thing?” I ask him.

“I hate going to stuff like that, what if my stuff is not good enough to compete against all the other students there. I mean it could just be a major waste of time for me to put so much energy into something that is going to ultimately blowup in my face,” he says. He is so shy sometimes that he closes himself off from people and doubts his work. His father is not like this so it must come from his mom.

“Gus you think too much, if you were not good then Mr. Hammond would not have asked you to submit your work,” I hate that he second guesses himself, it is so infuriating sometimes. “Plus, the top prize for winning that competition is a fucking scholarship to M.I.T. I mean Gus you have talked about that school ever since I have known you. You have always wanted to go there,” I tell him as he just walks silently next to me.

“Well it doesn’t matter anyway because I can’t go, I have too many responsibilities now,” he mumbles almost too quietly for me to hear him.

“OH MY GOD, that is the biggest bunch of BULLSHIT I have EVER heard Gus Peterson,” I yell. He turns to me stunned, I have never really raised my voice and I do not think that he thought that I could. “You are so full of shit if you think that I am going to let you use this baby AND ME as an excuse to give up on all your dreams. Because let me tell you something I have no intention of letting this baby or you keep me from everything that I have ever wanted. Do you know why?” I ask him. He just stares almost afraid to answer.

“Why?” he says.

“Because you stupid shit, I love you and that means I owe it to myself and any family that we may have together, now and in the future to do as much as I can. I don’t plan to use this pregnancy to keep myself in a hole isolated and working at the fucking Big Q for the rest of my life and I don’t want you to either,” I tell him as I take his hand in mine and kiss it. “We are going to bust our asses to do whatever we have to do so that we don’t have to beg anyone for anything,” I tell him.

We walk slowly to the bus stop and sit down on the bench. “So what are you going to submit for the M.I.T competition?” I ask. Before he can answer, his cell phone rings and at the same time I jump up and run to the grass where I lose all my lunch.

 

**

Justin’s POV

Gus picks up on the second ring and I can swear I hear someone throwing up. I cannot believe that Brian is making me call him instead of doing it himself. He always does this to me; he is so scared of Gus. It would be funny if this was not going to be a meeting that was going to stir the shit and entice the flies.

“Hello… Daddy J is that you?” he asks into the phone.

“Yeah Gus it’s me, is everything okay? I thought I heard someone throwing up on your end,” I say and I know damn well who it is. I did get a 1500 on my SAT’s for fuck sakes.

“Yeah… Umm, it was just someone that was passing by” he says. 

“Oh okay, well your Dad and I were wondering if you and Chelsea would like to join us for dinner tonight. We would like to get to know her better and this would be perfect because it will just be us without the rest of the family,” I tell him.

I turn the corner and as Kinnetik comes into view I am waiting for Gus to answer me. I pull into my spot and get out. I was so happy when I took over the art department. It pays to be partners with the boss. We now have the entire building next to Kinnetik converted into the offices that house the art department plus my studios for personal works that I commission for various art shows. Brian and I are partners in all the ways that count on paper and one day he is going to marry me I think as I wait for Gus to answer. 

**

Gus’ POV

“Chelsea, are you okay?” I ask her. 

“Yeah, I just could not hold that in anymore. I think I am going to have the morning sickness from hell,” she says as she sits back down on the bench and I hand her the water I have been drinking.

“My Daddy J is on the phone and he wants to know if we want to come to dinner at their place tonight,” I tell her. 

“I have to call my parents and tell them but I don’t think that it would be a problem,” she says.

“Okay Daddy J, well be there,” I tell him

 

**

Justin’s POV

“Okay Gus we’ll see you there. Is around 7o’clock okay for you?” I ask him. 

I walk into the offices and when I get to Brian’s door I knock as I balance the new boards and my coffee and my phone in my hands. “Come in,” I hear him say. I see Brian sitting at his desk hard at work on what I can only assume is the new Microsoft campaign.   
There is so much riding on this proposal. I walk over to his sofa and sit my coffee on the table and the Microsoft boards on the stand before sitting down.

 

**

“Is 7o’clock good Chelsea?” I ask her.

“Yeah its fine with me, I am so hungry,” she says and I believe it. I wonder how many months along she is because I can already see a little tummy on her. I never noticed before but she still looks sexy as hell. I really love her.

**

“Gus, Gus, MOUSE are you there?” I ask as I look at the phone thinking I lost the connection.

**  
“Yeah I am here, 7o’clock is fine Daddy J. I gotta go the bus just got here,” I tell him as I hang up.

**  
Brian and Justin in the offices of Kinnetik…  
Justin’s POV

 

I hang up the phone and walked over to Brian. “I brought the boards for the Microsoft proposal on Friday,” I tell him.

“Umm…” he says completely lost in thought. 

“I was thinking that I might change the background colors to make the picture pop out a little more,” I say as I sip my coffee.

“Umm that’s nice Sunshine,” he says and I could just smack him, he always gets so caught up in his work, but then again I am the same way.

“Then I was thinking that I would fuck the new bartender at Woody’s,” I say. At that his head immediately leaves the paperwork.

“What the fuck are you talking about? Your dick better not be fucking anybody but me or the palm of your hand,” he says. I knew that would get him. We have been exclusive for years and he always says the same thing whenever I threaten to fuck someone.

“Did you call Mouse and ask him about dinner tonight?” he says as he puts his paperwork aside for a moment to take a break. I move over to sit on his lap with my back resting on the desk behind me. 

“Yes…mmm…of course…I did,” I say as I kiss his lips. He puts his hand behind my head pulling me closer and making the kiss deeper. I instantly get hard and now I can feel him smiling against my mouth.

“Damn Sunshine, all these years together and we still light each other’s fire,” he says.

“Umm… yeah,” I tell him it’s all I can say as his hands travel lower and lower until they are down my pants and squeezing my ass so hard I know that there will be marks.

“What did he say? Are they going to come?” he asks.

“Yeah, but right now I want to come,” I tell him.

An hour later we are freshly fucked and putting our clothes back on. “What time did you tell them to be at the loft?”

“7o’clock I figured that would be plenty of time for us to get home get changed,” I tell him. 

“Okay Sunshine,” he says as he sits on the sofa lays his head back and runs his hand over his face. I sit down next to him and lay my head on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong baby?”

“Nothing I am just thinking,” he tells me. 

“Thinking about what? What kind of pants you’re going to wear tomorrow?” I ask. That earns me a laugh.

“Ha Ha Sunshine, I am thinking about what I am going to say to Gus and Chelsea. I mean who knows what her parents will say, I am sure they don’t know yet and Mel and Lindsay are going to be pissed. Mel will probably think that I had something to do with it,” he says. “I just know it is not going to go well.”

 

**

Back at the Loft 7o’clock (Its SHOWTIME. no pun intended)   
Brian’s POV

“Well look who it is. Come on in Chelsea, Mouse…I mean Gus is in his room and he will be down in a minute,” I tell her as I look her up and down and notice that she is showing a little bit already.

“Chelsea, do you want something to drink?” I ask her. God I am being so polite it has to be because I am so damn nervous. ‘Shake it off Kinney, you pitch multi-million dollar deals with top of the line companies and you are freaking out over talking to your son and his girlfriend,’ I tell myself. ‘Yeah but she is pregnant so you can freak out a little,’ I think.

“Oh yes please Mr. Kinney, I just cannot seem to drink enough. Plus this Preg…Pittsburgh air is making my throat really dry,” she says as her face turns bright red and she takes the water and sits on the stool closing her mouth tightly.

Just then Gus and Justin come down the stairs. I have never in my life been happier to have Justin show up then right then. I want to handle this with grace and tact. Not my usual Kinney sarcasm.

“Hey Chelsea,” Gus says as he kisses her.

“Hello Chelsea it is very nice to see you again,” Justin says as he kisses her cheek. I rescued him from that country club life years ago but the manners must have been installed in his hard drive. 

“You too Justin I cannot believe that all this time my boyfriend was your son. It’s so…well… creepy really,” she says with a laugh that is like air. I know right then why Gus loves her so much. It is the same way for me when Justin smiles.

“Well how about we order dinner,” I say breaking the comfortable conversation. “Is Thai good for everybody?” I ask. 

“Yeah,” I hear in unison and I know that I better order enough to feed an army.

**

An hour later we are all sitting around the living room. Chelsea is on the floor with her body firmly planted between Gus’ long legs and Justin is sitting on the sofa Indian style talking to them about his latest piece. I get up and go to the bathroom returning with the positive pregnancy test. I sit down next to Justin and throw the test on the coffee table where it lands right in front of Gus and Chelsea. They both look like they have got caught fucking.

“Does anybody want to explain this?” I ask them; So much for grace and tact.


	3. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

I have to thank my wonderful beta Cara for looking at my stuff and thanks to all the rest of you guys who bug me enough to keep me writing ( you know who you are, especially T, LOL), and a BIG THANK YOU to Mary for putting up with me ALL DAY, LOL and for helping me when I get stuck.

* * *

Chelsea’s POV

I have been staying with Justin and Brian since I told my parents that I was pregnant. I was very surprised that they kicked me out. They were very supportive until they proposed that I abort the baby and I refused, then they had quickly changed their position and kicked me out, with Daphne back at her internship there was no one to fight for me.

I ran with my bags to Gus and when Brian and Justin found out they quickly said I could stay with them. So now here I am six months later and almost nine months pregnant. I am lying on my back staring at the ceiling when I feel a sharp pain run through my back and around my stomach. I grimace with the pain and ignore it, but twenty minutes later the pain has not gone away and my stomach gets hard whenever it happens. I throw the covers off and head toward Brian and Justin’s room. 

I walk up the steps and finally reach their door and I am surprised that I have not heard the sounds of fucking tonight they are usually going at it all the time. They think that they are quiet but they are very loud. I knock on the door and wait for someone to answer me.

“Yeah, you can open the door,” I hear Brian yell. I pull open the door and Brian is still lying down with Justin mingled somewhere near him in the sheets.

“Brian…I think that something is wrong with the baby. I keep having these sharp pains and when they happen my stomach gets really tight,” I tell him, god I should have paid more attention in that birthing class. He sits up then and looks at me.

“How many months are you?” he asks and I know he already knows.

“I will be nine months in two weeks,” I tell him as he gets up to put on some jeans and a shirt. 

“Yeah I would say that that baby has a really big problem, it has decided to grace us with its presence at 3 o’ clock in the fucking morning,” he says and I smile.

“Justin, Justin wake up Chelsea seems to be going into labor,” he tells him and Justin is immediately on his feet and getting dressed, I think he is as excited as Gus and I are. I am still standing in the doorway when I hear a big splash and as I look down at my feet I see that I am standing in a puddle of water. 

“Oh god, what the hell is that? Did my water just break?” I ask as I stare at the floor below me.

“Yeah I believe it did and it splashed on my duvet,” Brian says and I roll my eyes, Justin does the same as he helps me to walk back down the stairs to get some clothes and my baby bag.

**  
“Don’t forget we have to call Gus,” I say as I slip into some sweats and a maternity shirt. 

“I didn’t forget we can call him when we are on our way out the door,” he says as he helps me with my shoes. We get to the door and Brian is already in the kitchen on the phone.

“Yeah were leaving now, just meet us at the hospital,” I hear him say.

“Okay let’s get this circus on the road and have a baby,” he says.

When we get to the hospital everyone is there except the people that I want there. Justin called Daphne and she said she was on the first flight out. I push the tears down as I say hello between breaths to the people I have come to know as family. The contractions are laying right on top of each other now, first time can take hours my ass. 

I see Gus and he looks like the happiest person I have ever seen in my life. He has been there every step of the way and I love him for that. He even started working at this computer store to earn money. We both go to school everyday, school is very important to us because we were not going to feel trapped by this baby.

**  
9 hours later…

Okay so maybe what they say about the first birth taking a long time is true, I have been in labor for nine hours already and I am pooped. Brian, Justin and the rest of the family went to work while Gus and I sit in the room waiting. Well…I am waiting; Gus is sleeping in a chair. I listen to the beeps of the monitor and I am grateful that I got that epidural. I feel the pressure as my stomach tightens with the contraction but not pain.

2 hours later…

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT this hurts,” I scream as I try desperately to catch my breath. Gus is next to me trying to rub circles on my back.

“Stop it, stop freaking touching me it’s fucking irritating,” I scream again as the pain comes on harder than ever. “I need some fucking drugs Gus, get somebody,” I yell at him. He presses the buzzer and a minute later a nurse walks in.

“Hey how you doing?” she asks me.

“How the fuck do you think, I have a fucking watermelon trying to squeeze out the space for a lemon,” I say as I see Gus squirm. “I want some more drugs,” I tell her.

“Let me check you first, if your too far along then you cannot have any,” she tells me as she gets a glove and puts it on to exam me.

“Yup just as I thought, you are about nine and a half centimeters dilated; we cannot give you anymore drugs.”

“Oh that is just bullshit,” I say. 

“Chelsea calm down your gonna hyperventilate and throw up if you keep screaming like that,” Gus tells me and before I can stop myself I let him have it too.

“If you weren’t so fucking horny all the time than we wouldn’t have this problem,” I scream at him and start to cry from the pain.

**

“Oh that horny remark was a good one” Justin says as he and Brian lean against the door. They were about to go in but heard the yelling and stayed outside. 

“He surely got that from his father,” he adds.

“I never hear you complaining Sunshine, especially when you are benefiting from it,” Brian says.

Just then Gus comes out of the room and closes the door and inside you can hear Chelsea screaming things after him. They both look at him and hold back the laughter as they look at the tired newly sixteen year old. He looks at his fathers and takes a deep breath 

“Chelsea wanted someone to see where the hell, her words not mine, Daphne was,” he tells them as he closes his eyes and leans against the door. Brian steps up to him and wraps his arm around him. 

“Its okay Gus a lot of women yell and scream things at their partner while having a baby, don’t take it personal,” he tells him and it seems to make him feel better.

Just as he is about to go call the airport and see if Daphne has arrived she comes walking around the corner with her bags still with her. 

“Hey how is she? I came straight here from the airport,” she says as she kisses all the boys hello. 

“What are you doing out here?” she asks looking at Gus.

“Coming to see if you were here yet, Chelsea demanded me too,” he tells her.

Just then the doctor comes walking toward the door. “Why is every one out here? I just got paged looks like our girl is ready for delivery,” he says as he enters the room with the rest of them trailing behind him.

**

“Daphne you made it,” Chelsea says as she spots her sister. “Oh… MY… GOD,” she screams as another contraction hits her. Melanie and Lindsay come in the room and are greeted with smiles as everyone waits for the baby to be born. Gus is over by Chelsea holding her hand.

“Okay Chelsea on this next contraction we want you to push like you are going to the bathroom, okay?” the doctor says from his position between her legs.

“Okay wait for the contraction,” he says as he watches the fetal monitor and when the spikes jump again he tells her to push. The nurse that is there tells Gus to hold her legs open and up a little so that she has leverage. She pushes like her life depends on it.

**  
3 hours later…

Gus and Chelsea are sitting in the room alone, the adults have taken all their pictures and cooed and then went into the hallway to let them have some time alone with their new baby girl. 

“She is so beautiful,” Chelsea says, “And she looks kind of like your father,” she adds as she looks at Gus who is holding the bundle as if she is made of glass.

“What are we gonna call her?” she asks.

“We never really talked about it, how about umm…Peyton,” he says as he looks in her face. She has fair creamy skin, brown hair and hazel eyes and she did look just like Brian. 

“Peyton, that’s a nice name,” Chelsea says.

“Yeah, Peyton Taylor Kinney,” Gus says.

“Taylor? Where did that come from?” Chelsea asks.

“I want her middle name to be Taylor after Justin, he has been my other father since I was born and I want him to know how much I appreciate everything he does for me,” he tells her.

They sit together in the room for a little while more before Chelsea asks Gus to ask Daphne to come in for a minute. He kisses her on the forehead and gives the baby to her.

He steps into the hall and tells Daphne that Chelsea wants to see her as he sits down next to his dads and his moms. Daphne gets up and heads into the room closing the door behind her.

**

“So what did you name her Gus?” Melanie asks.

“We decided to call her Peyton Taylor Kinney,” he tells them and he can hear the gasp as he looks over at Justin whose mouth is hanging open as he hugs him.

“I just wanted you to know how much I love and appreciate you,” Gus tells him.

“Thank You,” Justin says.

“Kinney” Melanie says. “I still cannot believe that you dropped Marcus-Peterson and took that assholes name.” Brian looks at her and mouths, ‘Fuck…you,’ and they both smile. After all these years they were over really and truly hating each other, but that did not stop them from giving each other shit.

**

Meanwhile, in the room…

Daphne curled up into the bed with Chelsea as she cried, tears stream down her face as she holds onto her sister. Chelsea has kept up the brave face for hours and now with the only person she talked to about everything here with her she breaks the facade and lets the tears fall.

“They didn’t come Daph, I called them before I woke Brian and Justin and they asked me if I had changed my mind. When I told them ‘no’ they said ‘then we have nothing to talk about,’” she tells her sister as she wipes the tears from her eyes and calms her breathing. She does not want to wake the baby. 

“They were supposed to love me no matter what, they were supposed to care,” she says as Daphne hands her some tissue.

“They do care Chelsea, they are just angry and when people get angry they do things that they cannot always change,” Daphne says.

“I don’t think they will ever change,” Chelsea says as she moves off of Daphne and lays her head on the bed.

“Well until they do you have loads of people who love you, and I will always love you. I may not always love what you do, but, I will always love you,” she tells her sister. “Now try and get some sleep, because when you bring that baby home you won’t get any,” she says as her sister drifts off and a nurse comes in to wheel the baby to the nursery.

** 

“Hey Daphne, she fall asleep?” Gus asks as he goes past her to say goodbye to Chelsea. He has school the next day and he will visit her after.

**

Since Chelsea has gotten back from the hospital the entire family has been by to visit, the guys had to finally tell them to give them a break. Chelsea and Gus are going to school everyday and are doing great. Gus still works after school and Peyton goes to the employee daycare at Kinnetik Inc. Chelsea picks her up on Wednesdays and on Thursdays while Gus goes to work. 

Every other day Gus picks her up, the guys drop her off in the morning when they go to the office. To the average observer everything seems fine but Brian has never been one to be considered average.

**  
Brian’s POV

Brian covers his head with the pillow as the screams fill the loft. Justin on the other hand is sound asleep. He kicks him in the shin and waits for him to stir before doing it again.

“Briiiian…stop it, we already fucked three times tonight,” he says as he turns on his stomach and wiggles closer to me.

“How can you sleep? Don’t you hear that screaming, it is loud as all shit,” I tell him. 

“I hear it, she must take after her grandfather, you were almost as loud as she is,” he tells me. 

“Justin, do you ever notice that Chelsea does not seem to be as into Peyton as everybody else?” I ask him.

“What are you talking about?” he mumbles. 

“I mean I have noticed that she just seems to go through the steps of taking care of her, she never talks to her or plays with her,” I tell him quietly. I have been feeling like this for a while and I have to ask someone.

“Brian, she just had a baby, turned sixteen and is trying to get through her sophomore year of high school, not to mention it’s been six months and her parents still haven’t called her,” he says. “Maybe she has a little post- partum depression.”

I think about what he said and maybe he is right, I don’t really think so but maybe he is right.

“Maybe your right Sunshine, but I just don’t think she likes Peyton very much,” I tell him. 

**  
Gus’ POV

I am sitting at the bus top outside the loft with Peyton waiting for Chelsea to show up. I am supposed to be meeting with Mr. Hammond about my entry for the M.I.T competition and she is nowhere to be seen, the last couple of weeks have been like this, her forgetting to pick Peyton up and it is starting to get on my fucking nerves. I glance at my watch and I only have an hour to make it to the school. I look at Peyton as she sucks on her pacifier and I am suddenly so pissed off at Chelsea. I do the only thing I can do, I get on the first bus that arrives and I head toward Kinnetik Inc.

‘I cannot believe that she forgot to come and get you again,’ I say as I look down at Peyton and she looks at me and smiles. ‘She knows I have a meeting today,’ I think to myself as the bus stops in front of Kinnetik. I get out and make my way into the building as I juggle my daughter, my book bag and my laptop.

“Hey Cynthia,” I say as I put my stuff down behind her desk.

“Hey Gus and hello Ms. Peyton,” she says and Peyton starts to giggle. She got so big so fast.

“Is my dad in there Cynthia?” I ask as I run a hand over my face, I am so exhausted. I have had Peyton with me for two days and I had to work last night.

“No, he and Justin will not be back until 4 o’clock they had a meeting,” she tells me. I look at Peyton and I fight back the tears that are about to surface from being so pissed and frustrated with Chelsea. 

“Do you want to leave Peyton in the daycare? I can tell Brian and Justin that she is here for you,” she tells me. I think about the offer for a minute and I decide that it is my only choice.

“Thanks Cynthia, could you take her down there I have to catch the bus and I am going to be so late,” I tell her.

“Sure Gus,” she says and takes Peyton.

I am halfway out the door when I bump into Chelsea, I did not even see her coming. I also did not see my dad’s come back earlier than expected.

“Jesus Chelsea where were you?” I ask her as we step to the side of the building, half in the alley and in full sight and earshot of my parents. 

“What the fuck does it matter where I was I am here now,” she says and I suddenly realize that I hate her right now, I love her so much and I hate her. 

“It matters because you fucking knew that I had to see Mr. Hammond today and you said you were gonna be there to pick up Peyton, you promised me. The past couple of weeks you have been doing this shit… promising me that you will be somewhere and then you never show up,” I yell at her.

“So fucking what, I am trying to get my life in order so that I can get into a good school. I am already falling behind because I never get any sleep,” she says.

I take a deep breath and try to calm myself before speaking again “Chelsea, I appreciate what you’re going through but Peyton has to come first. I know that you are tired but I keep her as much as you do and I push on past it,” I tell her.

“Gus look I really don’t wanna fucking fight right now okay, so just go to your meeting and we can do this later,” she says as she storms off down the street. I turn to call after her 

“Chelsea, what about Peyton?” I say.

“I am gonna be busy at the library, you keep her tonight,” she says without looking back. I storm off towards the bus never seeing my fathers ‘Fucking Bitch,’ I mutter to myself.

**  
Chelsea’s POV

‘Fucking Gus, he has no idea what I go through everyday. I cannot believe that I thought that I loved him, cause right now I cannot stand him,’ I think as I wait for the bus.

‘You should not have left your daughter,’ I think to myself. ‘Yeah but she slows me down and my parents told me that they did not want to see her,’ I tell myself. I have been spending a lot of time at my parent’s house where they don’t let me talk about Peyton, over at their house Peyton does not exist. I love that freedom, for a few moments I am free and the more I visit the more I like it.

I watch the bus pull up and I get on heading to my mom and dads house. I have been sleeping there on the nights that Gus has Peyton.

**

“Hey, is anybody home?” I say as I open the door.

“Yeah, I am in the kitchen,” I hear my mom answer.

“How was school? Did you do okay on that test that you had today?” she asks.

“Yeah I did great,” I tell her as I throw my books and things on the table and sit at the counter.

“You always were a smart girl, you are going to get into a really good school,” she tells me as she finished making dinner. “So are you staying here tonight or not?” she asks and I think it over in my head. Should I go back and apologize to Gus, I know that he has to work tonight or should I stay and leave him to deal with it.

“Yeah I am staying,” I tell her as start to help with the salad.

**  
Brian’s POV

“Gus where is her mother, you know the one who actually popped her out,” I ask him.

“Dad, I have no idea and I have to go to work, it’s only four hours, pleeeeease,” he begs me over the phone and I look over at Justin who is emerged in drawing a design for the Smith Automotives campaign.

“Brian just tell him that we will take her home with us and he can pick her up later and let the boy go to work,” he says without looking up. I repeat what Justin said word for word and watch as he smirks without ever looking at me. I hang up the phone and walk over to where Justin is sitting on the sofa and I sit next to him.

“You do realize that now we are going to have Ms. Mighty Lung with us all night, right? Gus is going to be too tired to come and get her and Chelsea could give a fucking shit,” I tell him as I lean in and start kissing his neck slowly. He moans into my touch and I can feel his excitement flow through my body.

“Mmm…then I guess we better relieve the stress before it starts,” he says as he gets up and kneels in front of me and unbuckles my pants and pulls them down, exposing my rock hard cock. I close my eyes as he slowly starts to kiss his way up my leg, pausing to inhale my scent as he lightly licks the clear fluid that is already gathering at the head. I moan with anticipation as he takes me into his mouth and I fight the urge to come as the warmth blankets my entire body.

“Oh god…Justin…shit,” is all I can say as he swallows twice, sending a wave of ecstasy through me. I am on the edge of an orgasm when he suddenly stops. My eyes fly open at the sudden loss of feeling and I see him taking off his pants and my breath stills as I lean forward to stroke his already throbbing dick.

“Brian…I want you to fuck me,” he says as he straddles my legs and leans in to kiss me as I continue to stroke his dick. He pulls back from the kiss and rises up a bit touching my slick cock to his entrance.

“No extra lube this time?” I ask. He shakes his head ‘no,’ with a smile and I gasp as he slowly starts to impale himself onto my dick.

“Oh god Justin, you’re so tight,” I say as I will myself away from the edge. The heat and the tightness are almost too much even after all these years. We start to rock together in a rhythm all our own, time and air forgotten until the urge to breathe became too much. We both exhaled as we brought our lips together in a heated kiss. I grabbed his dick as I felt him start to tighten around me and we both came together.

“God Sunshine,” I say as I try to catch my breath “That was incredible, even at your age,” I say laughing.

“Of course it was I am like a fine wine,” he says as he grins at me and I know he can feel me getting hard inside him again.

“Are you up for another round?” I say and he leans into me and puts his hands on the back of the sofa and I place my hands on his hips as we begin another session.

**

We are just getting our clothes back in place when Cynthia buzzes the office and tells us that everyone is leaving for the night. I glance at the clock not even realizing it is after 7 o’clock. 

“Thanks Cynthia you can go home too then,” I tell her. 

“I would Brian but I have a little bundle that wants to go with her favorite grandparents,” she tells me ‘That girl will not call me granddaddy,’ I vow to myself. 

“Oh shit, sorry Cyn, you can bring her in here,” I say as I let go of the button. Cynthia opens the door with a very active little girl bouncing in her arms. She hands her to Justin and says her goodbyes.

“It’s a good thing that you bought a car that can actually seat people,” he says as he plays with her while I gather my things.

“Yeah the corvette was just too small ‘I loved that car,’ for us,” I say. He puts her jacket on and heads out the door behind me.

**  
Gus’ POV

“So, when are you going to the competition?” my boss Jake asks me. I like Jake, we get along really well and he understands about Peyton and my sometimes crazy schedule. It helps that he is the owner’s son and about a year older than me. We are both trying to be M.I.T graduates someday, Jake goes to school with me and we have been friends ever since I started working here.

“The competition is in a couple of months,” I tell him as I reconfigure Mr. Robinson’s computer.

“I know you must be really excited, I entered last year but I wasn’t accepted,” he tells me.

“Why didn’t you enter this year, your new laser technology was awesome,” I tell him. He is really good and I know that he works his ass off on those laser development programs.

“Cause, I am waiting till next year. I have this sleek kick ass new program that I am still working the bugs out of,” he says. “What is your entry?”

“Oh I designed new nanotechnology for prosthetic limbs and attachments, it would make the new appendage indistinguishable from real limbs, at least in function and capability,” I tell him. I have been working on it day and night, it was my pride and joy and half the reason why I was so tired but my dad told me that ‘nothing ever comes easy’ so I am busting my ass for what I deserve. 

“Wow Gus you are sure to get a hold spot on the list with that if it works the way it’s supposed to,” he say.

“Yeah I am hoping so,” I tell him. ‘My future depends on it,’ I think to myself.

The afternoon passes slowly and in no time at all Jake and I are closing up the store and I am waiting for the bus to my dads loft so that I can pick up Peyton. As the bus approaches I realize that I am so tired. I pull out my phone and call the loft.

**

“Hello,” I hear Justin answer.  
‘Its Gus isn’t it?’ Brian says from the background.

“Hey Daddy J, I was wondering if I could leave Peyton there tonight,”  
‘He wants us to keep Peyton right.’

“I will come and pick her up later tomorrow since its Saturday, is that okay?” I ask him.  
‘Just tell him yeah. I told you he was going to call.’

“Yeah Gus its fine with us….okay….see you tomorrow,” he says as the call is terminated. I get on the bus for my place as I wonder where Chelsea is.

**  
Justin’s POV

“Brian, you could not be quiet for five seconds?” I ask him as I put the phone down and watch as he gives Peyton her bottle. 

“I told you that he was going to leave her here, its Friday night so why not,” he says and I know that he would not trade spending time with her for anything. I move from behind him and go up to the studio, when I get back he is curled up on the sofa with Peyton and they both are sleep. I start to sketch him and as the image comes alive on the paper I feel relaxed and calm and that feeling is great. I look up when I hear Peyton start to whimper and get up and take her from Brian and go and put her in her crib. I come back and help Brian to the bed, locking the door and setting the alarm on our way.

**  
Gus’ POV

The next morning I open the door to the loft and turn the alarm off. It is quiet inside and I realize that everyone must still be sleep that is until I see my Daddy J and Peyton in the kitchen waiting for her bottle to warm up. I walk in and put my coat and bag on the chair.

“Hey Daddy J,” I say as I sit at the counter.

“Hey Gus good morning, I did not expect to see you this early,” he says. I have had some thoughts swirling in my head for a while that I have been wanting to talk to Justin about and this is the perfect time, while my Dad is sleep. 

“Daddy J,” I say as he comes around the counter and hands me Peyton and her bottle “I need to talk to you about some things,” I say as I move off the stool and go and sit on the futon cushion.

“Do you want me to wake your Dad up?” he asks. I think for a minute on whether or not I want my Dad here right now and even if I really want to talk at all.

“No I was kind of hoping I could talk to you alone,” I say as I look at him. Before I can stop them the tears start to flow and I am doing my best to keep it together.


	4. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

Gus’ POV

 

I don’t know where the emotions came from I just could not pretend that everything was okay anymore. I had to talk to someone and daddy J would understand. He was young when he met my dad and he has had to go through so much. I sit on the futon cushion for a few minutes just looking at Peyton suck her bottle, I can barely see her through all the tears that are flowing, I feel Justin sit down next to me and wrap his right arm around me.

“Talk to me Gus, what’s wrong?” he asks and I am not even sure that I have the voice to answer him. I start to shake my head to say that nothing is wrong but he stops me.

“Don’t bullshit me Gus, I have a lifetime of dealing with you stubborn Kinney men under my belt and I will be damned if I believe that bullshit. Something is wrong so just tell me what it is,” he says as he brushes a hand through Peyton’s hair.

I wipe the tears from my eyes and face with the towel that Justin gave me. “Everything is falling apart, everything is different. We used to have so much fun together; we would laugh and joke together and…” 

“And what Gus,” he asks when I hesitate.

“And we used to have sex all the time, now we can’t even talk to each other without it turning into an all out battle of wills,” I tell him as Peyton finishes her bottle. I lay her on her back on the futon cushion and give her a toy. “I feel like I grew up when Peyton came and Chelsea didn’t, I don’t think she likes Peyton very much…or me for that matter,” I say as the tears start again. 

“If you think she may feel that way Gus then maybe you should talk to her,” he says. I know he is right but I really don’t know what to say to her about it.

“What if I talk to her and she confirms what I have been thinking,” I ask as I look at him for the first time since he sat down. 

“Then at least you will know how she feels before you both waste years and years together making each other miserable,” he says. I look back at Peyton who smiles at me and without warning rolls over on the cushion. 

“Oh my GOD, she just rolled over,” I say as I look at Justin and back at Peyton. “Hey sweet P you rolled over. Isn’t she a little small to be rolling over daddy J,” I say.

“No, she is six months old. I think that she is right on schedule,” he tells me.

The comfortable silence that has developed between us was only made more obvious by the elephant in the room. The problem with Chelsea was the elephant and it was not going to go away by me being ‘silent’ at it.

“Daddy J do you really think that I should talk to Chelsea, do you really think that that would be the best thing to do?” I ask him as I watch my daughter indulge in her new found talent.

“Yeah I do, but, you are sixteen years old now and you have a daughter to think about, you have to do what is best for you. You have to do what you think is right, we can’t decide for you,” he says as he kisses my head and makes his way back to his bedroom. I sit there watching Peyton roll over and over. ‘God I guess it’s time for baby proofing,’ I think to myself.

**  
Justin’s POV

I get back into bed and snuggle close to Brian. I feel him wrap his arms around me and I know that he is awake.

“Hey what took you so long, I was beginning to think you weren’t coming back,” he says as he nibbles on my neck.

“Gus came in while I was making Peyton her bottle, he wanted to talk.”

“About what, the M.I.T competition, I told him that his stuff was great and he was going to do a fucking kick ass job. I don’t know why…”

“He wanted to talk about Chelsea,” I say interrupting his rant.

“Great, what the fuck did she NOT do now,” he asks sitting up.

“Brian keep your voice down, he is having enough trouble without you saying shit. He is frustrated and confused and I think his heart is breaking and at sixteen that’s a lot to take,” I tell him, I should know I was only a year older when my heart was tested. 

“Justin I know what your thinking, your thinking that you understand them because you were their age when we met but we did not have a kid and we did not crawl around behind each others back, you always knew what I did and I knew what you did even if I did not want to acknowledge it,” he tells me and I know that its true, we always knew where we stood with each other and now sixteen years later we are stronger for it.

We lay in silence together and I can hear Brian’s breathing even out as he falls back asleep. I listen as Gus walks around and it sounds like he is on the phone with someone, it cannot be Chelsea because he is too happy and lately Chelsea and happy are not together in the same breath for Gus. I hear the loft door slide open and I know that Brian and I are about to lose our nice and quiet Saturday morning.

**  
Chelsea’s POV

‘God he just had to be here didn’t he,’ I think as I slide the loft door open and see him standing there. I know that he is pissed and I know that he has every right to be but none of this is how I thought it would be, I cannot breathe without Peyton in my eyesight and sometimes I just want to be alone. I brace myself for Gus’ blowup and when nothing happens I don’t know whether to be happy or scared. He is like his father that way; you never know which way he might swing.

We stare at each other for what seems like hours. Neither one of us wanting to break or bend, Compromise or walk away.

“Where are we going?” he asks and I am a little stunned by the question.

“What do you mean where are we going, I just got in the house,” I say as calmly as possible. 

“Chelsea stupid does not look good on you so don’t pretend with that I don’t know what you mean shit,” he tells me as he holds Peyton and I can tell that his temper is flaring.

Are you fucking around on me behind my back?” he asks and my eyes immediately snap back onto his face. I don’t know why but I am instantly pissed at him.

“How the fuck could you ask me that?”

“Maybe because you are never here, you never pick up your daughter when you are supposed to, hell you barely want to see her. You never want to go anywhere anymore, at least not with me and you sure as hell aren’t fucking me so I assume that you are fucking someone.”

I walked over and hit him so fast that it did not even register in my brain until I had done it. 

“Fuck you Gus, FUCK YOU,” I scream and Peyton starts to cry.

“No FUCK YOU, you fucking BITCH. I was so good to you; my fathers took you in when your OWN PARENTS turned their backs on you and now you have the fucking nerve to get pissed when I ask you are you fucking around on me,” he screams as he walks past me into Peyton’s room to put her in her crib. I walk past him into my room and try to shut him out. He pushes the door open and I jump as it hits the wall. I have never seen Gus so mad.

“Leave me the fuck alone Gus, I mean it.”

“I want to know what the fuck is going on with you, are you fucking around on me?” he asks again and I pick up the first thing I see, a pair or scissors and hurl them across the room. They miss him and stick in the wall next to his head. I run toward him and the glass of the mirror breaks with our force as we go crashing into it. I can feel the blood that is starting to come through his shirt as he moves to get off me. We start to fight and I can barely hear Peyton screaming in the next room.

“Get the fuck off me Chelsea,” he says and a second goes by before I feel a very forceful punch land straight across my jaw. I can taste the blood as it pools into my mouth, I move so fast that I amazed myself as I kicked him in the balls. 

“Fuck YOU, FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU,” I scream and I can feel my legs collapse below me as Gus kicks me.

“Fucking BITCH,” he screams as we continue to fight and punch each other.

**  
Brian’s POV

“Holy fucking shit sunshine. Who is doing all the yelling? Is that Gus and Chelsea?” I ask as I hear the yelling shortly after the door closed.

I can hear the baby start to scream as they get louder and louder. “Do you think we should go and see what’s going on,” I ask Justin who had been sitting up since he heard the first loud voice.

“Maybe we should wait a minute and see if they can work it out by themselves, young relationships are very fragile Brian. We cannot go running every time there is trouble,” he tells me and I know that he wants to jump up and go out there so bad he can taste it.

We listen to them argue back and forth and it is quite obvious when Chelsea hit Gus, the slap vibrates the loft and the momentary silence tells us that it is only the beginning. I watch as Justin gets up and goes to the bathroom, returns and starts to pace the room. I get up and put some sweats on. Before I can get my leg through the second hole I hear a loud crash, like glass breaking and then lots of noise.

I look over at Justin and he too has stopped in his tracks and is looking toward the door. We both put some shoes on and ran out the door to Chelsea’s room. I never thought that my son would be in a full on fight with his girlfriend but that is exactly what is going on, the room is destroyed and blood is everywhere. Justin is just as shocked as I am. I jump over to the pile that is Chelsea and Gus and pull them apart as Justin grabs Chelsea.

“Gus stop it…STOP IT,” I scream as I hold on to him. 

“Asshole, fucking ASSHOLE,” Chelsea screams as she spits her blood across the space that divide’s us. 

“That’s enough, everyone CALM THE FUCK DOWN,” I say as I listen to the room go silent.

I can hear the heavy breathing as Gus tries to calm down and as they stare at each other all the love that had once been shared between them is gone. Justin locks eyes with me and I know that he can see it too. 

“Justin why don’t you take Chelsea to the hospital in your car and I will follow with Gus and the baby in my car, okay,” I say leaving no room for arguing. He moves Chelsea with him to the door and up the stairs. I do not move or speak until I hear the loft door close.

“Gus…Jesus look at your back,” I say as he stands in front of me with his head down, he is silent. I walk him to the door and go back for Peyton who has fallen asleep. I know that I am going to have to tell Lindsay and Melanie and I know that they are going to be pissed. I gather Peyton and her things and help Gus walk carefully to the car. Once we are driving to the hospital I take out my phone and dial a well used number.

**  
“Hello,” I hear Melanie answer.

“Hey Mel, I need you and Linds to come down to the hospital,” I tell them and hope that they save all questions until Gus is not around. 

“Why, what happened? Is everybody okay?” she asks quickly.

“No everybody is not okay but its nothing life threatening so be careful and just get here when you can,” I say as I close the phone back up. I look over at Gus and tears are falling from his eyes.

“It was not supposed to be this hard, we were supposed to be happy,” he says looking at me for the first time and I can se the scratches and bruises from where she hit him.

“Nothing is ever easy Gus…nothing. Life, love, marriage, commitment, school…nothing. It’s all hard and if it wasn’t hard it would not be worth shit, but sometimes when your relationship comes to blows and hospital trips it time to throw in the towel.”

I see him process what I have told him and I know that he does not want to let her go; I know he still believes in them. I look at my son and I wonder why, after all the shit I went through, did it have to be so hard for him. I don’t know what to say to a boy that is fast approaching adulthood with the world on his back.

When we get to the hospital I park and escort Gus as slowly as possible into the emergency room. I spot Justin who is sitting alone and when he sees me he is on his feet in no time.

“Chelsea took off when we got here. She went to the bathroom and did not come back,” he tells me as I hand him Peyton. I make it a point to not address the Chelsea comment.

Mel and Linds came in at that moment and looked at the blood all over Gus’ back and started to freak out.

“Holy shit what the fuck happened to you Gus?” Mel asks. She really is like me. 

“”Oh my god…who, who did this to you?” Lindsay asks right as the doctor calls Gus’ name.

“I am gonna go back there with him okay. Justin you can feel them in” I say through clenched teeth as I follow Gus toward the examine room. Every step he takes is agony and you can tell. Without the adrenaline coursing through his veins, he can feel every pain filled movement and painful it is.

**  
“Gus were going to cut your shirt off and see how much damage was done,” the doctor says and Gus just shakes his head. They cut the shirt off and chunks of glass are embedded into his back and blood is everywhere. The doctor gets some water to flush the wounds, some tweezers, bandages, ointment and a big syringe of morphine and after injecting it into Gus’ back he sets to work.

Two Hours Later…

I am helping Gus slip into a hospital gown so he can go home. Justin has taken Peyton home an hour ago. Linds and Mel went home and are waiting for me to bring Gus there.

We ride to their house in silence, I know what he was thinking about I do not have to ask. When we pull up in front of his place he looks at me and just stares. 

“It was not supposed to be this hard,” he says as he slowly gets out of the car and closes the door. I wait until he is inside before driving home to Justin.

**  
Chelsea’s POV

“Daphne let me in. Come on,” I say as I pound on the door. I step back when the door swings open and Daphne stands there rubbing her eyes.

“Chelsea what are you doing…damn what the fuck happened to your face” she asks me as she moves aside to let me. “Do mom and dad know you’re here? Do Brian and Justin know you’re here?” 

“Damn Daph, could you stop with twenty questions for a minute and patch me up,” I say as I move to the bathroom. I hear her close the door and follow me to the bathroom as I get up on the counter.

“Tell me what happened Tyson,” she says as she pulls out her first aid kit and begins working on my face. I tell her the whole story and when I finish she looks at me.

“Gus did this to your face…is he fucking crazy?” she asks as she looks at me.

“I started it, I was a little high and a little drunk and I just lost it.”

“Since when are you drinking and smoking pot Chelsea, what the fuck is going on with you?”

I jump up off the counter and grab my bag and jacket. “I came to get fixed up not hear a fucking lecture,” I tell her as I walk through the apartment toward the door.

“Where was Peyton while you guys were fighting?”

“In her room… damn, everyone is always so fucking worried about her, FUCK HER,” I say as I slam the front door behind me.

**  
Two weeks have passed since Gus and Chelsea got into their fight and no one has seen her since then, she has not called and she has not been by. Gus calls her parents and they say that they have not seen her and after the fourth call they tell him to stop calling. She has even disappeared from school. When she finally did pops up again she is surprised that the locks have been changed on the loft door. Taking a chance she knocks hoping that she will not be faced with Gus. Her luck is not that good. She raises her hand for the final time when the door slides open.

“Hey,” she says.

“Hey.”

“I just came to get some things and then I will get out of your hair” she says and he moves out of her way. She steps past him and heads toward her old room. As she packs some of her things Gus comes and stands in the doorway.

“So where are you going?”

“I am going to stay with my parents, I think it would be best,” she says as she continues to pack. Gus walks up behind her and stops her movements. 

“I thought we would be in love forever,” he whispers. 

“I thought so too, we were both wrong,” she says turning in his arms. The heat from their bodies removed all logic and the arousal and passion that is youth took over. They come together and when they both reach the edge of ecstasy they cry together knowing that they will not share this again. They have to let each other go before they smother one another.

As the fog of sex lifts they both realized that they have made a mistake, they dress quietly and Gus watches as Chelsea packs her things. He helps her carry her bags to the door. The silence is not comfortable between them like it had once been, it is daunting and endless.

“What about Peyton?” Gus asks as he stands at the door and Chelsea stands on the other side.

“My parents don’t want her there. I will come and see her, okay?”

Gus just nods and watches as she walks into the elevator and pulls the gate into place.

“Make sure she knows that I love her,” she says before she presses the down button. She waits for Gus to say something.

“I would never lie to her,” he says as he closes the loft door and slides the lock into place.


	5. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

Chelsea’s POV

I watch as Gus slides the door closed and the thud that vibrates from it is solid and final. I know that this will be the last time that I stand in this building, at least by choice. I wait for the elevator to come and when I close the gate and push the button for the bottom floor I feel a strange sense of release. I carry my bags out of the elevator and out the building, turning in the direction of the bus stop. I pause once more and look up at the window; I can see Gus as he walks away from it, from me.

An hour later at the Chanders residence…

“Well Chelsea, I hope you are excited about moving. I think you’ll love it in Washington State, the weather is so-so at times but other than that it’s nice. We have always wanted to go back,” my mother says as we sit eating lunch, the boxes are all packed and the furniture is being loaded into the moving van as we speak. I nod my head slowly to show some acknowledgement of my presence in the conversation. 

“Don’t worry, in no time at all you’ll be able to start all over and things will be how they should have always been,” my dad says, I gave him a smile as he gets up to talk to one of the moving men. 

‘Yeah, a whole new start’ I think as I push from the table and walk up to my room, my room at least for the next hour or so.

**

Gus’ POV 

“She came by and got her stuff yesterday; she just packed it up and left. She didn’t even say anything to Peyton,” I say to Jake as he loads a virus program into a customer’s computer. 

“Hmm…you said that as if there was something that you are neglecting to say,” he says as he smiles down at me. I stop just as I am about to put another program onto the shelf and look up at him and smirk. 

“Maybe we fucked before she left,” I say with a shrug of my shoulders, as if it was nothing and maybe looking back it was just that…nothing.

“Well at least now you know that you are really finished with each other. Do you know what you’re going to do with Peyton? I mean I know you cannot possibly do everything,” he says. I am confused as to what exactly he means.   
“What do you mean?” I ask him. I watch him shake his head as he laughs a little. 

“I swear Kinney, I wonder if you are as smart as they say you are,” he says as he ducks the pen I throw at him. “I mean, how are you going to go to school, in the advanced program may I add, take care of Peyton and go to the M.I.T competition in what, two short months and lets not forget work. It’s a lot to have on your back,” he states and I slowly take in all that he is saying. I have never heard these things said out loud and seriously before, I start to realize that I will have to really map out a plan or I will sink before I even get into the pool.

“Hey, did you hear about that new science symposium that they are having downtown this weekend?” Jake asks pulling me from my thoughts. I didn’t even realize that he had kept talking. 

“Yeah, I heard that it is supposed to be really neat,” I answer as I finish putting the software up and stand up resting on the counter, peeking at the computer screen. 

“Well since we don’t have to work tomorrow do you want to go down there and check it out?” he asks. 

“Sure why not, but, I have to take Peyton with us if you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind, I like Peyton and I like you,” he says with a smile as he walks into the backroom. I stand there and take in what he said, intrigued and a little confused that I do not find the idea of him liking me at all a bad one.

**

Brian’s POV

“Cynthia where are the boards for the new Brown campaign?” I ask into the intercom as I pick up another call. “Hello, yeah Leo the boards are ready and they look perfect. You’ll love them…okay…yeah, we’ll see you at four,” I say as I put the phone back in its cradle.

“Cynthia I asked…” I am just about to yell when I see her come through the door. 

“Cynthia, where the fuck are the boards for the Brown campaign?” I ask again as I feel the tingle of a headache begin to form at the base of my skull.

“The art department can’t find them Brian, they have no idea where they are,” she says and I can tell that it is the last bit of information that she wants to share. 

“What, WHAT?” I yell as I jump to my feet, pushing the chair away and causing it to hit the floor. “What the fuck do you mean they can’t find them, where the fuck is the fucking head of the art department? He should know where the fuck they are,” I say as I look at her.

“That’s the thing Brian, we can’t seem to find him either,” she says. 

‘You have got to be kidding me,’ I think as I head for the art department, taking out my cell phone and dialing Justin’s number and wait for him to pick it up as I walk.

“Hello,” I hear him answer, all peaches and cream.

“Hello…Hello, Justin where the hell are the boards for the new Brown campaign?” I ask him. I have stopped walking as I wait for him to answer. 

“I forgot them at the studio at home so I had to go and get them,” he says and I can feel my chest start to rise again. 

“Jesus Justin, you had me scared shitless. I thought that they were not finished or worse ruined,” I tell him as I motion for Cynthia to go and get me some aspirin. 

“Sorry I scared you but when your husband is the head of the art department you should not worry so much,” he says and I can hear the smile in his voice. 

“Husband on paper asshole,” I say.

“Everyone is technically married on paper, the acknowledgement of everyone else is just an added bonus,” he says and I have to agree with his logic.

“Yeah I guess you’re right but hurry back because I really do need those boards,” I tell him. 

“You got it boss…later,” he says before hanging up.

I head back to my office and pick up my chair, depositing myself in it and leaning my head back. “Hey Brian, here’s your aspirin,” Cynthia says and I hold out my hand. 

“Thanks Cynthia,” I say with my eyes still closed as I pop the aspirin in my mouth and drink some of the water she brought me.

“Did you find Justin and the panels?” she asks with genuine concern as she sits across from me. I sit up and lean my arms on the desk.

“Yeah, he forgot the panels and had to run back and get them.”

“I wonder what he could have been preoccupied with that made him forget,” she says as she sits back in the chair and places a very self satisfied smile on her face. I am just about to answer her when I hear the phone start to ring, the ring indicating that it is a call from within the company.

“Yeah, what’s up?” I asked as I see Justin coming through my office doors with the boards and a big smile on his face. Cynthia walks over to talk to him and look the boards over while I talk to the woman on the phone.

“I am sorry to call you Mr. Kinney but Peyton has not stopped crying all day and I just took her temperature and it is clear past 102.3 and I am starting to get a little worried and thought that I should call you,” she says and I can hear the painful screams of Peyton in the background. 

“No problem, I’ll be right down there,” I say as I disconnect the call.

“What’s wrong?” they both ask at the same time.

“Something’s wrong with Peyton. I am gonna go down there and check it out,” I say as I walk to the door. 

“Do you want me to call Gus?” he asks.

“No let me go and see what’s wrong first. Just make sure all the shit for Brown is ready,” I tell him as I leave the office and head for the daycare.

**

I can hear Peyton screaming the minute I step off the elevator. I push through the doors of the daycare and it is obvious that something is wrong. “Hey Mr. Kinney, she is right in here,” Kathy tells me. I love Kathy she is so nice and deals with every situation with an amazing calm, and I admire that. 

“How long has she been crying? I heard her on the phone but was she crying before that?” I ask as I follow her. 

“Yeah she has been crying for a while and when I could not get her to stop. I finally called upstairs. She will not let us touch her ears or the side of her head so I think she may have a pretty bad ear infection,” she tells me as we reach the crib that she is in. 

Kathy picks her up and she screams even louder, then she spots me and starts to reach and pull away from Kathy. I take her and she lays her head gently against my chest, she is practically on fire. “I think I am gonna take her to the hospital, she is burning up,” I say as I brush the hair out of her face, and, when my hand brushes against her ear she screams bloody murder.

“Okay, its okay baby” I say as I gather all her shit and head back to my office. Her screams have turned to quiet whimpers as she leans against me sucking her pacifier. 

I reach the doors to the office and pull them open as best as I could with my hands full of shit. “Hey Justin, you can go ahead and call Gus, tell him we’ll pick him up at work because I think Peyton has a really bad ear infection.”

“Cynthia can you get Leo Brown on the phone and explain what happened and tell him that Kenny can give the presentation and if he insists on Justin and I then tell him we have to reschedule. Make sure you tell Kenny first just in case Brown wants to meet with him, I want him to get a chance to make sure he is prepared,” I say as I put Peyton’s coat on, the hat was out of the question because her ears just hurt to much. I hand her to Justin and gather some things and throw my own coat on and we head out the door. 

“No problem Brian, I’ll take care of everything” she says.

Justin pulls out his cell phone as we step into the elevator and dials Gus’ cell. “Yeah, this is me,” Gus says as he holds the phone to his ear and tries to reboot Mrs. Cannon’s computer. 

“Hey Gus, Peyton is sick and needs to the doctor.”

“Is she okay? What happened? What’s wrong?” he fires off quickly. He has stood from the stool and is already on his way to the back to get his coat. 

“Gus don’t panic we think it’s an ear infection, a bad one, but an ear infection. We are gonna come and pick you up at the store, okay, so be ready,” Justin tells him as he hands Peyton to Brian to get strapped in. They get in the car and start toward the store with Peyton screaming in the back, she started screaming once the contact was broken.

“Okay, I’ll be ready,” he says as he hangs up. 

“Something wrong Gus?” Mr. Henry, Jake’s dad, asks. 

“I am really sorry but I have to go, my daughter is sick and I have to take her to the hospital,” he says. 

“Oh man, then you go, don’t worry about us. Jake can handle it without you. I hope she is okay,” he says sincerely as Gus walks back toward the front.

“Thanks Mr. H, tell Jake I said later,” he calls back.

**  
Gus’s POV

I am standing on the sidewalk in front of the store and I am trying to will my heart to slow down just a little bit, I never knew that I could be this scared. I let out a breath that I did not even know was caught when I see their SUV pulling up to the curb. I walk toward it quickly and pull the backdoor open, Peyton is red faced and it is easy to see that she is miserable and has been crying for awhile. I climb into the seat next to her and close the door as my dad pulls away from the curb. I put my hand on her forehead and she feels like fire. “How long has she been this hot?” I ask, I have no idea what to do about sick babies, Peyton has never been sick before and I am freaking out on the inside. 

“A while, Kathy called us after she realized that it was more than crankiness and we called you,” Justin says as he looks at me and then at Peyton. I keep my eyes on Peyton and my hand on my phone wondering if I should call Chelsea, Peyton is still her daughter. 

We pulled into the emergency room parking lot and find a parking space fairly quickly. I removed her from her car seat and wrap a blanket around her before opening the door and getting out of the car. We go to the window and I wait for my dad to say something when the nurse starts asking questions but he never does. I looked at him with a question on my face. 

“It’s your daughter, you need to talk to the lady, not me,” he says as he places a hand on my back and nods his head in the direction of the nurse. I stare for a moment and start answering her questions as best as I can. My dad gives his insurance card when it is asked for and when all the preliminary stuff is out of the way we sit down and wait. I sit in a chair off from my dads because there are no chairs near them. 

I rub circles on Peyton’s back and pull out my cell phone. I look around for a sign that says I can’t use it and when I saw none I dial Chelsea’s home number, her cell has long ago proved worthless in getting in touch with her and shortly after I called it had been disconnected completely.

I wait for someone to answer or at least for the answering machine to pick up, but nothing comes except for a voice proudly announcing that the number is no longer in service. I shut my phone and shove it back in my pocket just as the nurse comes out the double doors, everyone perks up hoping to win the raffle and be next. “Peyton Kinney,” she calls and the unlucky ones settle back into their chairs to await the second chance drawing. 

I get up and walk toward the nurse, knowing already that my dads are gonna make me go alone. I breathe in deep as I get to the nurse. “This must be Peyton, come on back,” she says and I follow her beyond the double doors and into the exam room.

**

“Brian, don’t you think that one of us should have gone back there with him?” Justin asks as they sit in the waiting room, Brian is thumbing through a long forgotten edition of the readers digest. He starts to shake his head “No, if he needs us they’ll come and get us. I want him to do as much as possible with Peyton so he knows that if all else fails he can do the things he needs to do and take care of her. I don’t want him to think he always needs a crutch,” he says. Justin just looks at him for a moment and smiles as he too picks up a magazine and starts to flip the pages.

**

“Did you notice her pulling or tugging on her ears at all lately?” the nurse asks as she gets the otoscope ready and turns toward me. Peyton is undressed and laying on the table sucking her pacifier. 

“No, I didn’t notice anything, I should have known but I didn’t,” I say to her and watch as she smiles.

“Sometimes babies don’t give any indication that something is wrong,” she says. “Is this your first baby?” she asks as she leans over the exam table and proceeds to place the otoscope in Peyton’s ear. She screams out immediately with the touch and starts to try and get away. 

I place my hand on her chest to stop the movement and I can feel my heart breaking as she screams and screams. “Yeah, she’s my only baby. I just feel bad for not knowing,” I tell her and I am surprised that I add that last part. 

“You’ll get the hang of it in no time,” she says as she moves to the other ear. “Yup, looks like a pretty good ear infection has set in,” she announces as she stands and throws the tip of the otoscope away and replaces it back in its spot on the wall. 

“You can start putting her clothes back on. I am going to give you some drops to place in her ears and I am going to give you a prescription for Amoxicillin, it is an antibiotic that you are going to have to give her twice and day, the drops are going to be once a day. I also suggest giving her some Motrin for the pain and fever, but make sure you get the infant type,” she says as she sits on a swivel chair and writes out the prescription. I am glad that she told me all that without making me feel like an idiot. She tears the prescription off of the pad and hands it to me.

“Is that all?” I ask her. She looks over the chart before looking up and smiling.

“Yes, that’s it. I am going to schedule Peyton for an appointment in a week to make sure that her infection is clearing up, I am going to make your appointment at my private clinic because I am only up here twice a week,” she says as she pencils in a reminder to schedule an appointment. 

“Thanks, I don’t have a regular pediatrician so that would be great,” I tell her as I take the appointment reminder. I look at her name Dr. Sabrina Tyler, sounds nice.

“Okay, well we’ll see you later. Bye, bye beautiful,” she says to Peyton as she leaves the room. I gather up Peyton and make sure I have all the paperwork before leaving the room. I walk out the double doors and over to my dads.   
“She has an ear infection. I need to take this prescription to be filled and then she has to see the doctor again in a week,” I say as they stand. I hand the papers to Justin as we walk out the door. Peyton is finally asleep after the dose of Motrin the doctor gave her until we get our own.

**

“Did you call his cell phone?” Lindsay asks as Mel comes around the corner carrying the pizza box. 

“Yeah and he finally picked up, Peyton has an ear infection so Brian and Justin took them to the hospital. He said that she had finally fallen asleep and that Justin and Brian had gone in to get the prescription filled,” she says. Lindsay nods and takes in all the information as she flips the box open, picking up a slice and bites into it. 

“Did he say if he was coming back here or not?”

“Yeah, he said that he was going to come here once they got the prescription filled,” Mel says as she sits back and smoothes her hand over Lindsay’s hair. She leans over and kisses her but before they can think of getting into more they hear the front door slam shut. 

“Hey, I’m home,” Jenny yells as she throws her bag on the floor by the steps and walks into the room and grabs a slice of pizza.

“Hey how was school? I heard that someone has been running her mouth again in class,” Lindsay says as she pulls her legs under her on the couch. Jenny looks at her with her mouth wide open.

“Mom I have not been running my mouth, I have been giving my opinion about different situations, and maybe I gave it at the same time that the teacher was trying to give hers,” she says with complete seriousness on her face. ‘Stupid Mrs. Shelton, I can’t believe she really called,’ she thinks.

“Well… we better not be getting anymore calls about you or your opinions Jenny, do you hear me?” Mel says to her and watches as she sits back and pouts, so much like Michael. 

“Yes, I hear you,” she says finally.

“Can I go and see Peyton tomorrow?” she asks out of the blue. 

“Actually they are coming over here tonight, so you should see her any minute. She has an ear infection though so I doubt she will be up for playing,” Lindsay says.

Jenny just shrugged, “I don’t care I just want to see her. Is Justin coming over too?”

“Yeah I think so, why?” Melanie asked, even though she knew why. “I want to show him the mural that I have been working on in my room. It is almost finished and I want him to see it” she says proudly, she was a pure artist and loved to show Justin her work. “I better go change before they get here, I hate this uniform” she said as she stomped up the stairs to her room.

** 

Daphne’s POV

“What do you mean you moved; when the hell did you move and why didn’t you tell me?” I yell into the phone. I am pacing the living room of my apartment, I cannot believe they moved, just packed up and left without so much as am email. I stop walking when I realize something that had completely slipped my mind. “Wait…is Chelsea with you?” I ask.

“Of course she is with us, where else would she be?” my mother says calmly as if nothing is odd about their behavior. 

“Where else would she be? How about with her daughter, you know the baby that she had,” I say as I pull a cigarette out the pack and flop down on the sofa and light it. I inhale as my mom talks on and on about how Chelsea did not need to be burdened with a baby, she was moving on with her life. I am so pissed at her and at Chelsea at that moment, I realize that if they didn’t tell me they were moving then there was no way in hell they told Gus.

“Does Gus know that you moved away?” I ask and the silence that comes answers the question for me. I don’t wait for her to say anything else; I just hang up the phone and go to put on my shoes and jacket. I pull the door closed behind me just as the phone starts to ring again, determined that Gus will not find out about Chelsea leaving him with Peyton from anyone else but me.

**

“Hey mouse, hey Brian. Where’s Justin? I wanna show him something,” Jenny says as she opens the front door and looks past Brian and Gus. Gus walks into the living room where his moms are and Brian bends to kiss the little girl. 

“What’s up shrimp?” Brian asks as he pulls on her long hair, she giggles like she does every time he does it. 

“He’s coming so stop looking before you break something,” he says as he moves past her. Justin came into sight a minute later and she almost knocked him over with her enthusiastic greeting. 

“Justin, Justin I have to show you something,” she says as she lets go of his neck and grabs his hand, leading him up the stairs before he can protest.

“Oh my god Jenny, it’s amazing,” he says as he stares at her walls. She has done a mural of practically every single aspect of the zoo, there are animals everywhere. Everyone knows that she loves animals and loves painting and she has found a way to merge them both together. 

“I was hoping you liked it,” she says and the pride that dripped from her voice is more than evident.

“I love it; you have so much detail and emotion in every stroke. It really looks good,” he says as he steps back and takes in the walls as a whole and smiles. “It really is beautiful,” he says as he kisses her cheek. 

“Thanks, it’s almost finished, I just have to paint the entrance to the zoo over the door and then it’ll be done,” she tells him. He shakes his head to let her know that he is listening to her. 

“Did you show your dads?” he asks her.

“Yeah and they said they loved it,” she says grinning. He nods his head and puts his arm around her as they head out the room and back down the stairs.

**

I pull up in front of the loft and notice that Brian’s SUV is not in the parking space. I get out of the car hoping that maybe Justin took it and head over to the building. I reach the door just as one of their two neighbors is coming out. I grab the door before it can close and walk in. When I get to their door I ring the doorbell and wait for an answer, when none comes I walk up the stairs to the door that opens on the second floor and knock as hard as I can, incase they are fucking and can’t hear me.

“Where in the fuck are you guys?” I ask quietly, to no one but myself. I walk back down the stairs and out the building. I sit on the stoop and light up a cigarette, determined to wait till they get home. Hunger wins out though after an hour and I start the short walk to the diner, maybe Debbie will be there and maybe she knows where the guys are. ‘Yeah,’ I think as I round the corner and the diner comes into view.

I step one foot in the diner and I feel like I am seventeen all over again, I can remember the times when Justin and I would come here after school and just hang out together. Me doing my homework while he bused tables, we had so much fun. I sit down at the counter and grab a menu. “So, can a paying customer get some service or what?” I say to Debbie who is standing with her back to me.

“Holy shit, Daphne, I didn’t think we’d be seeing you around so soon. To what do we owe the pleasure?” she asks as she turns over the coffee mug in front of me and pours me a cup. 

“I was waiting for Brian and Justin to come home, I need to talk to them,” I tell her as I take a sip.

“Did you try their cell phones, they normally answer them,” she says as she goes to see about some customers. I could kick myself, I never thought of calling their cell phones. I pull out my own and call Justin but as usual I get the voicemail, he never remembers to charge his phone. I call Brian and his voicemail is on too, great. 

“They didn’t answer,” I say as Debbie comes back over. 

“Call Lindsay, maybe she knows where they are,” she suggests as she goes to give some other customers their check. 

‘That’s a good idea,’ I think as I dial the number. I let it ring four times and am about to hang up when someone picks up the phone.

**

“Hello,” Jenny says into the phone, she is the only one who heard it ring. “Oh hi Daphne…yeah their here…okay, hold on I’ll get him,” she says as she puts the phone down and goes to get Justin.

“Justin, Daphne is on the phone and she said she needs to talk to you,” Jenny says as she sits down next to Brian and leans her head on his shoulder. Justin gets up and walks to the kitchen to get the phone.

“Yeah Daph, what’s up?” he says as he slips on his jacket and goes into the backyard for a smoke. Daphne is silent as she wonders exactly how to say what she has to say. 

“Justin, when are you coming home? I really don’t want to say this over the phone,” she says as she walks back toward their building, having said goodbye to Debbie and finished her coffee.

“I don’t know; you can come over here. We can talk; I am in the back so just come around the side,” he tells her.

“Okay,” she says as she flips her phone closed and gets into her car, driving the short couple of minutes to Mel and Lindsay’s house. When she gets there she walks around the side of the house and sees Justin sitting on the back porch steps. She smiles and sits next to him. He hands her his cigarette as he blows smoke into the air and clears his throat. 

“She left, didn’t she?” he states more than asks and Daphne just nods her head and hands the cigarette back to him. “She’s not coming back is she?” he states again and again Daphne nods. 

“I didn’t even know they were leaving, they called me from the road and told me that they were gone,” she says as she wipes away a tear that she did not even know was there. Justin doesn’t say anything about the tears; he just slips his arm around her and kisses her cheek. 

“You still got me, and I still love you,” he says as they look out at the backyard that suddenly seems so big.

“What are you going to tell Mouse? He is gonna be so pissed,” Daphne says as she lays her head on Justin’s shoulder. 

“I don’t know, I think maybe deep down he knew that she would leave one day,” Justin says as they finally look at each other. 

“I forgot to tell you that I am moving,” she says nonchalantly. Justin just looks at her as he takes in the information.

“Moving where?” he asks. 

“Back to my old apartment… permanently. I got the job at Saint Vincent’s so I am going to be here from now on,” she says proudly. Justin pulls her into a hug, almost crushing her. 

“Damn, that’s great,” he says. They sit on the porch for a while longer talking about her new job and everything else that they are not up to date on.

**  
Gus’ POV

I walk into the kitchen to get Peyton a bottle and when I go to get another can of formula out of the cabinet I hear Justin and Daphne talking on the back porch. When Justin first makes the statement about ‘her being gone,’ I have no idea who he is talking about, until my brain catches up with my ears and then when he followed with ‘she’s not coming back,’ I feel suffocated. I make Peyton’s bottle and take it into the living room. I give it to my mama and turn and head for the stairs, I just have to get away. I feel like I am choking, like the walls are coming down around me, and the bad thing is that I knew the foundations were rotten, but it still hurts to watch them fall. 

I slam the door hard behind me and crawl into my bed and cry, I feel angry and frustrated and betrayed. I feel, and that is bad enough, I want to be numb. I don’t want to feel anything. I hear the knock on the door and will myself to stop crying but I can’t, my emotions are not listening to me. I hear the knock again and manage to choke out a very unconvincing “I’m fine.”

“Gus, Gus…I am going to open the door, I want to talk to you,” I hear my dad say as he pushes the door open and comes in; shutting the door behind him and locking it. He comes and sits down next to my curled up body on the bed and places a hand on my back. 

“She left, she just left her daughter, walked away without even saying goodbye,” I say through the sobs. He just nods his head; I can tell he is thinking. 

“Yeah she did, but, you’re still here and you may not be perfect but you’re here and you’re gonna raise that little girl. You have a huge family, you’ll be fine,” he says and it may not be all that I want to hear or what I want him to say but it is what I need.

I push up from the bed and wrap my arms around him, bury my head in his shoulder and cry. He holds me tight, and I can feel the foundation begin to rebuild itself.


	6. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

Gus' POV

I can hear Peyton screaming from her crib and for five seconds I think about not getting up, that is until I realize that no one else is going to get her. I roll out of the bed and walk over to her, every muscle I have is tense from crying and I moan as the kinks work themselves out. When I reach the crib I look down at her and smile.

“I cannot wait until your ear infection clears up,” I tell her. I watch her as her cries turn to a whimper as she grabs her ears and picks up the screaming all over again. I reach in and pick her up.

“Okay, let’s go get you a bottle and see if that helps a little. It’s not time for your medicine yet, I’m sorry,” I say as I walk to the kitchen and grab a bottle out the refrigerator. I go back to my room and curl up on the bed with Peyton as she sucks her bottle, drifting off to sleep.

**  
“Mel, do you think I should go in and see about the baby?” Lindsay asks her sleepy wife.

“I don’t hear the crying anymore, I think she is fine,” Mel answers back, halfway between being sleep and awake. 

“I get so worried about him; I know that it is going to be hard for him. I just don’t want him to get overwhelmed,” Lindsay says as she turns to face Melanie. Melanie sighs as she runs a tired hand over Lindsay’s face.

“I could choke just saying it, but, I think Brian is right this time,” Melanie says as she thinks back to the conversation that they had in the living room that night. 

“You think he was right about what?”

“I think that we need to let Gus do as much as he can on his own. We can help him but he needs to know he can do it on his own,” she says as she kisses Lindsay and pulls her close. They breathe in each others air as they fall into a deep sleep.

**  
Gus’ POV

“Oh my god, Peyton, you’re killing me…killing me,” I say as I push off the bed and make my way over to Peyton’s crib. This is the fourth time that she has woken up screaming; her ears are hurting her so bad. I glance at the clock as I reach the crib and the time I see shatters any hope I had of being able to go back to sleep. “5:30 a.m., well shit, we might as well get dressed,” I say as I pick her up and rub her back.

Three hours later Peyton is calm and smiling at me from her comfortable spot in my arms. I am on the bus and on my way to Kinnetik to drop Peyton off. My eyes are barely open as I see the building come into view. I get off the bus and make my way across the street and into the building. 

“Good morning Cynthia, are my dads here?” I ask as I come around the desk in her office and kiss her cheek. She slips Peyton out of my arms and lifts her above her head before bringing her close for a kiss.

“Yeah, they just got here, they’re in Brian’s office,” she says as she plays with Peyton. “Do you want me to take Peyton to the daycare room?” she asks. I think about it for a minute and then I remember the medicine in my pocket and think better of it.

“No, I need to talk to Kathy so I’ll take her,” I say as I make my way out her door and down to my dad’s office. I push the door open without really thinking about it and am presented with an empty space. I can see my dad’s legs and hear Justin’s soft moans coming from the other side of the desk. I move forward without really thinking and come face to face with a scene that almost takes my sight away. My dads are fucking, it’s one thing to hear it, quite another to see it. 

I can feel my mouth open and I know words are coming out because I see them both jump and start to grab for their clothes. I come to my senses after what seems like decades and move back toward and through the door. I stand outside the door and wait for them to come out. When Justin comes out he is flushed and starting to blush all at the same time, he looks like a half boiled lobster. My dad comes out the office next and he looks perfectly composed.

“Did you want something?” he asks me. I did want something but it seems to have slipped my mind. I look from my dad to Justin and back again. “Gus,” he says again. “Did you want something?”

“Oh, umm…I am leaving Peyton in the daycare and I wanted to give you her medicine. She needs to take it at noon. I should be back by the time she needs another dosage,” I tell them. I want nothing more than to get out of the office as fast as possible. My dad though can sense my embarrassment and takes all the joy he can in prolonging the situation.

“Is that all you needed? You seem to be a little bit of a hurry,” he says as he wraps his arm around me and walks with me back to Cynthia’s office. Justin takes the opportunity to say goodbye and head off toward his own office. 

My dad takes a minute to twist the knife of discomfort a little deeper. “Don’t wander too far sunshine, we’re not finished yet,” he calls after Justin’s retreating form. I groan from my place next to him and shake my head. 

‘Oh god,’ I mumble under my breath and I feel my dads arm tighten around me.

**  
Chelsea’s POV

When we pull up in front of the house my breath stills in my chest. It is huge, I had no idea it was going to be this big. I knew my dad was getting a pay increase with his new job but damn. “This place is huge,” I say to my mother. She smiles back at me and nods her head in agreement.

“Yeah, it is but it’s gorgeous,” she says as she grabs my arm and pulls me into the house. I look around at the inside and I can almost see our old house fitting into this one. There is furniture and other shit already in the house. I glance around one more time and really look at the house.

I turn back and look at my mother. “Exactly how long were you planning on moving here?” I ask. They said it was last minute but I am getting the feeling that they have had this planned for a while now.

“Oh, we started looking for the house about five months ago. We were just waiting for your father to get a really decent job offer and when he did we snatched it up,” she tells me. She is so excited that the words falling out of her mouth are of no consequence her. 

“I was so excited that this house was still on the market. Between your father’s new job and mine the mortgage will be a snap,” she says. I let her drop my arm as she walks from the front entrance to the living room area. 

“So, you were planning on moving here for months and you didn’t bother telling me?” I ask. I don’t know why I am trying to act like I am angry with her, I’m not really. I think I just want to blame her. I want to say that me leaving Peyton is all their fault, but, I know its not. I wanted an excuse to leave her from the moment I saw her and when the opportunity presented itself I jumped. I ran from everything and now I feel like I am drowning. 

“We didn’t need your permission to move Chelsea,” is the only thing she offers by way of explanation. I turn away from her after that and move through the rest of the house, taking in every inch of this new space with a quiet sort of interest. I walk up the long steps to what I assume is my room; it has all my stuff in it.

I walk into the room and pull the mattress from its propped up place against the wall, easing it onto the floor. When it flops down I sit on top of it and stare at the white walls around me. I really doubt that moving is going to make shit better. After a couple minutes I reach into a box and grab a blanket, pulling it over my head and blocking out the remaining sunlight. 

When I wake up hours later the realization of where I am hits me and I feel a little sad. I didn’t think I would but I do. I pull my new cell phone from my pocket and flip it open, the urge to dial the loft fresh on my fingertips. 

I dial the number and wait for someone to answer and I can only hope that it’s not the one person who I really don’t want to talk to. When I hear the voice answer the phone I let go of any feeling I had of being lucky. I breathe in deeply and steady my voice as I release a breath and ask to speak to Gus. 

**  
Brian’s POV

“What the fuck do you want?” I ask her. I cannot believe that she is calling my house after skipping town and asking for my son like she is right down the street.

“I want to talk to Gus,” she says. I stick my bottom lip into my mouth and sit up in the bed. I glance at the clock over Justin’s form and pinch the edge of my nose. It’s just past 4 a.m. and I had just gotten to sleep. 

“What the fuck do you want to talk to him for? You didn’t feel the need to talk to him before you skipped town without telling a soul. He had to hear it from your sister as she talked to Justin,” I tell her. Justin starts to stir and I lower my voice a little. I push the duvet back and swing my legs over the edge of the bed, turning my back to Justin. 

“Brian, I just really want to talk to Gus. I don’t want to hurt him or anything,” she says and I don’t believe a word that is coming out of her mouth. I roll my eyes and reach for my cigarettes. I light one and blow the smoke into the air. 

“Well, that’s real nice that you finally are trying to look out for someone other than yourself but I think it may be a little too late for that, don’t you?” I ask her as I take another pull on my cigarette and wait for her to say something. I am running out of patience when I feel Justin sit up behind me and take the phone from my ear.

**  
Justin’s POV

I can hear Brian talking to Chelsea on the phone and I know that he is angry at her and I know that when he is pissed he can be a complete and total ass. I sit up and grab the phone from him. “Hello, Chelsea?” I say into the phone. I always have to be the diplomatic one.

“Justin?” I hear her answer and I can hear the tears in her throat. I push myself up further and lean against the headboard, moving out of Brian’s reach when he grabs for the phone.

“Asshole,” I hear him whisper as he gets up and goes into the bathroom. 

“Justin, can I please talk to Gus?” she asks again and a part of me wants to tell her no, to hold back information from her and let her suffer but I know that’s not my place. I run a hand over my tired face and reach for the water bottle that I had sitting next to the bed. I pick it up and shake it. I throw it down when I discover it’s empty and roll over to Brian’s side of the bed to get his cigarettes.

“Gus isn’t here, he is at his mothers’ house,” I tell her as I light up and lean back over the bed lengthwise and stretch my legs out and put the cigarettes back on his nightstand.

“Why is he over there? Where is Peyton?” she asks, the questions falling from her quickly. I take another deep inhale and blow it out. 

“Chelsea, I think that you should call Gus if you want answers to your questions,” I tell her. I refuse to get into the middle of their bullshit. “You might want to wait until the morning though. I am sure he won’t appreciate getting a phone call at 4 in the morning,” I tell her as Brian comes back into the bedroom after going to get two bottles of water. I take one from him and sit up and move over to my side of the bed. 

“Sorry, I didn’t even think about the time, it’s not too late here,” she says. I can tell that she is checking the time at her place and I roll my eyes as I stub the cigarette out. I move my arm a little as Brian starts kissing down my chest. I suppress a moan and turn my attention to Chelsea.

“It’s okay; just give him a call tomorrow. I can’t say that he’ll want to talk to you but you can try giving him a call,” I say to her. I know that Gus doesn’t want to talk to her but maybe it’ll make him feel better to let some steam out and tell her how he feels.

“Thanks Justin,” she says. I can hear in her voice that she wants to say more but nothing is coming out. I clear my throat and speak.

“You’re welcome,” I say and return the phone to it’s cradle and then turn my attention to Brian.

“I can’t believe she called here out of the clear blue sky,” he says as he works his way back to my lips, teasing me with his tongue. I open my mouth and allow him entrance, all hope of falling asleep destroyed.

**  
Chelsea’s POV

I press the off button on the phone firmly and toss it down onto the bed. Brian Kinney hates me and I can hear it dripping in his voice. I guess I don’t really blame him too much; I did walk out on his son and my daughter. Not only did I walk out I moved clear across the country without tell a soul. 

I close my eyes firmly against the tears that threaten to fall and I turn on my side, curling into a tight ball. I reach into my pocket and pull out the small picture I have of Peyton and me smiling together, there are not many of them. I laugh a little at the memory of her and I together and more tears fall.

I pull the little packet out of my pocket and study the white pills inside. The guy who gave them to me said they would make all my pain melt away and right now that’s what I want. I want to feel nothing, I want to be empty. 

I take the two pills out and take them both at the same time. I feel the effect immediately as my heart begins to race, dying to escape from my chest. I clutch the plastic packet tightly and release my hold on reality as I float into reckless abandon.

**  
Brian’s POV

This day is dragging, I feel like I have been in meetings forever. I have signed three new clients and referred two to Justin; all in all I think it was a pretty productive day. I push back from my desk and begin looking through the paperwork for Gelman diamond exports. I am almost finished when Justin comes through the door.

“Are you still looking over the Gelman diamond contracts?” he asks me with a smile on his face. He already knows the answer; I don’t know why he asks.

“Yeah, it’s pretty much finished but I want to make sure that everything is right,” I tell him. “We have a lot riding on this deal,” I say. He nods his head. He always nods his head when I tell him something that he has heard numerous times before. 

“I know we do. You have been telling me about Gelman for the past month and a half, I don’t think I could forget if I tried,” he tells me as he comes around and sits on the corner of my desk. “Are you ready to leave?” he asks me. I look around at the paperwork on the desk and cock my head to the side. 

“I am ready to leave but unfortunately I can’t leave yet. I have a few more things to finish up, but, I can do them at home if you are really that ready to go,” I tell him. I know he’ll think about it and then he will ultimately decide that the last thing he wants to do is sit around and wait for me to finish some paperwork. 

I notice his shift slightly and I know that he came in here for something more than finding out if I am ready to leave. “Spill it Sunshine,” I say as I put the papers down and lean back in the chair.

“Gus called and asked if we would mind taking Peyton home with us tonight,” he says and I swallow the thoughts that come to the front of my mouth and think before I speak.

“This is getting out of hand Justin. If we had wanted a daughter we would have had one,” I tell him.

“Who says we still can’t?” he counters. I give him a look and continue along my path.

“That’s not the point Justin. Peyton is not our responsibility; we didn’t lie down and make her. Every five seconds we have to watch her or something and we shouldn’t have to,” I tell him. I watch him as he processes everything that I just said.

“That might be true Brian but Gus needs our help. He is our son, yours from birth, so we are going to help him no matter what. Okay?” he says. What he hell am I supposed to say? He didn’t leave me room to say anything other than okay. I stare at him for a while and then I finally answer.

“Fine sunshine, you got it,” I tell him. He hops off the desk and kisses me on the lips. “Asshole,” I mutter under my breath and he turns and smiles before walking out the door completely.

**

Justin’s POV

‘I don’t know why I always have to go all around the city to get Brian to do something that he is going to do anyway,’ I think as I pick Peyton up from the daycare and put her jacket and shoes on. I smile at her when she grabs onto me and I bend down to grab her diaper bag.

“Thanks Kathy,” I say as I leave the daycare. I walk out to the car and unlock the door, strapping Peyton into her car seat. I walk around the car and get into the drivers seat, closing and locking the door behind me. As I pull the seatbelt around me I hear my phone start to ring.

“Hello,” I answer on the first ring. 

“Hey, Daddy J It’s me Gus,” he says into the phone and I roll my eyes at his need to clarify exactly who he is.

“I know who you are Gus. What’s up? I am on my way to the store and then to the loft,” I tell him as I click my seatbelt into place and start the car.

“I was just calling to tell you that I might be able to pick Peyton up after all, I’m not 100% sure yet but I might be getting off early tonight,” he tells me and I can tell that he is very happy about being able to spend the time with Peyton.

“Okay Gus, well, it doesn’t matter either way. I’ll be home in a few so if you do get off early you can just hang out at the loft until I get there,” I tell him as I shift the car into drive and pull out of the Kinnetik parking lot. I head toward the store as he talks on and on about the M.I.T competition. I listen intently as I weave in and out of traffic.

“I am sure it’ll all work out fine. You are already ready so stop second guessing yourself,” I tell him. His entry is completely finished and the paperwork that is to accompany it has already been sent to the people, the actual entry will arrive when Gus arrives.

“I hope so. I really want to get into this school. I really do,” he says and I can hear the desperation ring in his voice. I hear him talking to a customer and I wonder how he got so smart, but, then I think of his father and I realize that I already know how he got so smart.

“Gus, I gotta go I’m at the store. I’ll see you when I get home, okay?” I ask him. I wait for him to finish talking to the customer and then I repeat myself.

“Okay, I’ll see you when I get off. I’ll call you if my plans change anymore than they already have,” he says. “Later,” he finishes.

“Later,” I answer back and smile; he is so much like his father. Except his father doesn’t dress like a skateboarder and have long hair trailing into his face and his father definitely is not fucking any girls… or women either. I toss the phone onto the passenger seat and pull into a parking space at the store. I get out the car and go around to get Peyton. 

We glide up and down the aisles easily. I try to ignore the looks of the single, and married, women shoppers as I shop. They all stop me and tell me what a lovely daughter I have and how cute and well behaved she is. I just smile and accept their compliments, no need trying to correct people.

I pull out my cell phone after staring at the lube for over five minutes wondering why they don’t have the brand we use. “Kinney,” I hear him answer on the first ring. I roll my eyes and glance at Peyton.

“I know you saw my name, you could have said hello,” I say. I don’t know why I feel the need to say it but I do anyway.

“Did you call here just to criticize how I answer the phone or did you actually want something?” he asks and I take a breath. 

“No, I didn’t call for that. They don’t have the lube we use, so I want to know which one you want. I could care less but I know you get all bitchy about shit like this,” I tell him with a smirk.

“Justin, we have been together for almost seventeen years, give or take a few bumps. I think you could have picked out a lube that I would be ok with,” he tells me and I almost choke on the gum I am chewing. “What?” he asks when he hears me coughing.

“You are so full of bullshit. I know you well enough to know that you will not be happy with anything I pick as a replacement. You would have wanted to choose so I am bypassing all the shit and heading straight to the finish. What kind of lube do you want?” I ask him.

“What do they have Justin?” he asks and I can tell that he is pinching his nose and leaning his head back.

“They have the one in the white bottle and the one in the green bottle, I know we use the one in the blue bottle but it’s not here,” I tell him.

“Well, why don’t you just not get anything,” he says with a smile and I smooth the hair out of Peyton’s face. I can still feel a little fever in her and I give her a smile.

“Because my ass is the one that gets fucked on a regular basis and I would like to be able to function after we fuck,” I tell him. “If you don’t decide I am just going to chose and I know you won’t like what I pick because what I pick is going to leave you high and dry until I decide to be nice to you again,” I say.

“Get the one in the white bottle asshole,” he answers right away. I smile and grab the white bottle of the shelf, tossing it into the basket.

“Now see, that wasn’t too hard, was it?” I say as I flip my phone closed and put it back in my pocket. I start to push down the aisle when I see a woman staring at me and smiling. I cringe when she winks at me and then I smile. “I take it up the ass… sorry,” I say to her as I leave the aisle and I can hear the gasp as it leaves her mouth.

**  
9 months later… Gus’ POV

“Look at her dad. I can’t believe she is a year and four months. It seems like she was just born not too long ago,” I say as I watch her run around the park with Justin. We just had her birthday party a couple of months ago and a card came in the mail from Chelsea. 

No one had heard from her since she called that one night, when she hung up on me before saying a word. I knew it was her though, I always know when it’s her. I was going to throw the card in the trash but Justin told me that it wasn’t mine to throw away, so I put it in a box and placed the box in the back of Peyton’s closet.

“Yeah, and you just turned seventeen,” he says. “So, you never said what you wanted for your birthday,” I look at him and then back at Peyton and Justin in the park. 

“Nothing,” I say and I honestly mean it. I won the M.I.T competition and was awarded a full scholarship and 20,000 dollars in reward money, not to mention the option to sell my technology to the university. I still haven’t decided if I will go. I graduate soon and I have to decide.

“Bullshit, there has to be something that you want for your birthday sonny boy,” he says as he pushes me in the arm and takes a look at Justin. I see the smile play in his eyes and I feel my heart ache a little for that type of love. I lean forward a little and place my hands on my knees.

“No, I really don’t need anything,” I say. 

“Well Justin and I and your moms bought you a present anyway and we won’t take no for an answer,” he tells me. I snap my head in his direction and stare at him.

“What did you buy?” I ask him as I sit up straight.

“Why are you so excited? You said that you didn’t want anything,” he says and I can choke him to death. I see a smile play across his lips and I hear a car horn honking in the distance. I hear it come closer but I am too focused on him to pay it any attention. 

“Gus, I think someone is trying to get your attention,” he says as he presses his finger to my chin and turns my face in the direction of the car horn. I see a brand new BMW X5 sports activity vehicle. 

I jump to my feet and almost have a heart attack. I see my moms get out of the car and I look back at my dad and then over at Justin who is walking over with Peyton. I look back at my moms and then at my dad again and I see a pair of keys dangling from his fingers, I think I have just died and melted away. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I shout at the top of my lungs. 

“Wow…I guess we can assume he likes it,” Justin says as he finally reaches us. I feel Peyton wrap herself around my legs and I pick her up. I hug my dad and then Justin tightly, pulling them close into my body. I hug my moms when they come close to me and I can feel my heart pumping fast in my chest.

“Happy birthday baby,” mama Mel tells me and I almost don’t hear her. I clutch the keys in my hand tightly and look over at the car again, like I thought it would vanish or something.

“Holy Shit, I cannot believe you bought me a fucking car,” I say as I start to walk toward it.

“Maybe we let him spend a little too much time with Brian and Debbie,” I hear my mom say. I smirk as I reach the car and open the door. I place Peyton down in the front seat and slide in when she moves over. I make sure the door is locked so she can’t get out before exploring the console.

“This is so cool. How could I ever repay you?” I say as I check out all the features.

“You could get a haircut and let me take you shopping for some fucking clothes,” I hear my dad say. I hear him grunt when Justin smacks him in the arm.

“I am just stating the obvious. The boy would definitely benefit from my advice,” he says as they all circle the car taking it in.

**  
Jake’s POV

I pull into Gus’ mom’s driveway and get out of the car. I walk up to the door and knock on it. I step back and wait for someone to answer me. When the door opens I see Gus’ mama standing there with Peyton swinging happily between her legs. “Hi Mrs. Marcus, is Gus here?” I ask and I feel so stupid for sounding like I am here to take Gus out on a date.

“Yeah Jake, come on in. He is upstairs getting ready. And please call me Melanie,” she tells me as she shuffles back to let me in. I pull a little on Peyton’s long brown hair and watch as she falls into a fit of giggles. Melanie rolls her eyes and laughs a little at her granddaughter. 

“Hi, WAKE,” Peyton shouts from her space along the floor. She starts to giggle again and I can’t help but smile.

“Hello Miss. Peyton,” I say as she slides her hand into mine and leads me to the living room. “Oh…okay, I guess we are going into the living room,” I say as I look over at Melanie. I follow her lead into the room and flop down next to Jenny.

“Hey Jen bean what’s hanging?” I say as I pinch the side of her arm.

“Why do you call me that?” she says as she sits back and holds the sketchbook against her chest.

“Cause I know you hate it,” I tell her as I pinch her again.

“Ouch, quit it…stupid,” she says as she takes her drawing pencil from Peyton. I hear Gus moving around upstairs and I brush my hair over my head to make sure it’s still nice. I see Jenny roll her eyes and push me with her elbow.

“He has two gay dads and two gay moms, I am sure he’ll be okay with knowing you’re gay, if, he doesn’t know already,” she says as she stands and starts to leave the room. She turns as he is coming down the stairs and says softly. “And I am sure he won’t mind if you make a move on him. Something tells me he would like it,” she says as she walks past him and up the stairs. I watch Gus come into the living room and I fight the raging hard-on that is trying to erupt in my jeans.

“Hey Jake,” he says as he grabs Peyton and checks her diaper. He picks her up and swings her onto his hip.

“Hey Gus, are you ready to go?” I ask him. 

“Yeah, just let me make sure my moms know that I am leaving so they can watch Peyton,” he says as he takes her into the kitchen and gives her to his mama.

“I’ll call you if I am going to be really late,” he yells as we walk out the door.

We go down to the movies and watch two shows before we get bored and decide to drive out to the beach. We have been best friends forever and we have always had a lot of fun together. We get to the beach and get out the car. 

I pull a blanket out the back and we take it down to the water and spread it out. We smoke some weed that Gus has with him and lay under the night sky talking and laughing about stupid shit.

“Have you decided what you’re gonna do about M.I.T?” I ask him as we lay there. I see him shake his head slowly from side to side and then look over and smile at me.

“I want to go but I can’t just up and leave Peyton behind, and there is no way in hell I would be able to carry a full course load and take care of her at the same time,” he says and takes another pull on the joint. 

“Yeah, I see your problem,” I say as I take the joint from him and inhale deeply. I watch the smoke mix into the cold air and I prop myself up on one elbow, turning slightly to look at him. I see him look over at me and smile and it takes my breath away. “Gus, can I tell you something?” I ask him and watch as he props himself up and turns to face me.

“Sure Jake you can tell me anything, we’re best friends remember,” he says with a smile. I smile back at him and like lightening I crush my lips down onto his, pulling him closer with my hand around his neck. I break the kiss and stare into his eyes. “I’m gay,” I say when my world comes back into focus. 

I am nervous. He is staring at me and not speaking. I wait for a sign from him, a clue of something…anything and when I think nothing is coming I feel the tears begin behind my eyes, I have ruined a friendship. I start to get up when he grabs my arm and pulls my head toward his, pausing to look into my eyes. 

He brings his lips to mine with the right amount of pressure and I feel like I am falling. When we pull apart he kisses me again softly and we lay together on the beach, silence surrounding us.


	7. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

Chelsea's POV

 

I am sitting on the edge of the bathtub holding a pregnancy test in my hand and I can almost feel the time stopping. I watch the blue line appear and I bring it closer to my face. My fingers are shaking and I need to make sure that I really see a blue line. 

I look at the blue line and then grab the box, making sure blue means pregnant. I read the instructions again and when I confirm my thoughts I lose control of my stomach and all the contents come up. I know I am plump but I had tried to blame that on all the eating I have been doing lately, which I tried to blame on all the drugs I have been taking.

I grip the side of the toilet and close my eyes, making sure that the moment has passed before moving to lean against the wall. I gulp in breaths of air before looking at the stick in my hand again. "Fuck," I say and toss the stick at the bathroom door. I watch it from across the room and wonder what the fuck I am going to do.

**  
Gus' POV

I put my key into the lock at my dads and slide the door open. "Dad, daddy J…are you guys here?" I shout as I put Peyton down and throw her diaper bag on the sofa. 

"Justin's not here but I like to think I am just as good. If not better," my dad says as he comes down the hallway. Peyton sees him and goes running as fast as she can.

"Bwan," she says. I roll my eyes at her attempt at his name. He lifts her up and kisses her on both of her cheeks. She burst into giggles and I smile at the two of them.

"Dad, I really wish you would let her call you grandpa or something. It just sounds so bad that she calls you Brian," I tell him as I move to get a bottle of water out of the fridge. I open the top and take a deep drink, gathering the courage to put my thoughts into words.

"I don't want her to call me grandpa, it sounds too fucking old," he tells me. "Just spit it out Gus. Whatever it is cannot be as bad as you're making it out to be," he says as he sits her on the floor and comes to the kitchen counter, sitting on one of the stools.

"What makes you think I have anything to say?" I ask as I walk over to the sofa and turn the T.V. on. I hear him get off the stool and come over to the sofa. When he sits next to me and grabs the remote, turning the set off I know I am cornered. 

I sit there and listen to him breathing, remembering all the times when we would have our private talks. I also remember how many times those private talks were just Justin and me because dad was working. I don't blame him, I just remember.

"Mouse, what's the problem?" he asks me; he never calls me that so I know he is onto me. I suck in a breath of air and watch Peyton as she goes to pull her toys out of the toy box she has here.

"How did you know you were…you know…gay?" I ask him. I can tell that he was not expecting me to ask that question and he is a little lost for words. I laugh on the inside because my dad is usually never at a loss for words. He always has something to say, even if it's just a smart-ass comment.

"I like cock," he tells me. I grin at the simple answer. "Why do you ask?" he says and I should have been ready for my own question to come back and bite me in the ass. I stop breathing for a minute and think about if I really want to answer him. I throw my head back on the sofa and stare at the beams along the ceiling. I never told my dad but I would climb on top of the counter and get on the beams that I could reach. I could have killed myself but man was it fun.

"Gus," I hear my dad say, snapping me back into the present conversation. I let some air out my lungs and lunge forward.

"Jake kissed me," I say turning to look at the solid expression on his face. "And… I might have liked it and I might have kissed him back," I finish and still he is just looking at me. I hate when he does this, only Justin can read these emotionless faces and he knows it. 

"Well, aren't you going to say something?" I ask him as I fling my arms out in front of me and then cross them over my chest. I look back at the beams and wait for him to say something, anything.

"What do you want me to say? Welcome to the club," he says and starts to laugh. I look over at him and grin a little. I have to admit that I do have feelings for Jake, I always have. I have always had feelings for guys on some level but I just never really paid them too much attention, until the other night with Jake and then I couldn't avoid it anymore. I look down when I feel Peyton wedge herself between my legs, demanding to be picked up. I look down at her and smile before lifting her up onto the sofa with me. 

I kiss the top of her head and think back to when she was first born. There was never any doubt that I loved her, but I never imagined that I would be raising her without Chelsea. I thought we had the love that was going to last forever. I was wrong on that one. "So, are you going to see Jake again?" my dad asks taking Peyton from me and walking over to the kitchen. I think about it and when I don't answer he keeps talking.

"It's not a fucking life or death decision Gus. Are you going to see the fucking guy or not?" he asks me again. I hear a wrapper being ripped open and I roll my eyes knowing he is giving her a Popsicle. They have this thing between the two of them with Popsicles; she won't eat them from anyone else. I hear him sit at the table and I close my eyes.

"I really think… I want to," I say.

"You really think you want to what?" Justin asks as he comes up the stairs. He must have come in through the downstairs door.

"Seems Gus here has discovered he likes cock," my dad announces from his position at the table. I groan and slide down onto the sofa. I cover my eyes with my arms hoping that maybe I will disappear, although all through elementary school I wished the same thing and nothing ever happened. I feel someone standing over me and I open my eyes to see Justin looking down on me. A big smile clouds over his face as he leans down closer to me.

"Welcome to the club," he says and I close my eyes again when he and my dad dissolve into fits of laughter.

**  
Jake's POV

I pace the walkway in front of Gus' dads building. I want to ring the buzzer but I am terrified that Gus might actually answer the door and then I would have to talk to him. I mean I want to talk to him but at the same time I am terrified to face him. I know he kissed me back but I still wonder what his feelings will be in the light of day. I move back and forth in front of the door, trying to pull my thoughts together.

I stop pacing when I see Justin walking from his car toward the building and for some reason I get the strong urge to pee. When he reaches me I lean forward like pressing the buzzer was in the front of my mind. "Hey Jake," he says when he gets closer to the door. 

"Hi Mr. Taylor," I say as I move back and let him open the door with his key. I try to turn like maybe I changed my mind about seeing Gus but he stops me before I have the chance.

"Call me Justin, I am not that old yet," he tells me. "Were you coming to see Gus? I don't know if he is here but you can come on up and see," he says and I have no choice but to follow him in.

"How come no one buzzed you up? I know Brian is in the house," he says and I don't hear him because with every step we take toward the downstairs door of their place I get a little more nervous. "Jake…Jake, did you hear me?" 

I blink my eyes a minute and focus on Justin. "What? Did you say something?" I ask when we reach the door. I look at the metal blockade and urge my stomach to calm down.

"I asked how come no one buzzed you in?" he repeats, looking at me with concern in his face. I give a smile and move to the side of the door as he opens it.

"I hadn't pushed the buzzer yet," I offer. I hope that that will be enough and he will stop asking me questions. He is making me more and more nervous. God, I really have to pee now.

He slides the door open and there is no one on the bottom level. I let a huge rush of air out and slink over to the sofa. I plop down on it and wait for Justin to see if Gus is here. "I am gonna go and see if Gus is upstairs Jake," he says as he climbs the stairs and disappears. I hear laughter come down the stairs and spread through the spacious loft and I wonder what's going on up there.

**  
Gus' POV

My dad and Justin erupt in laughter and I cannot keep the smile from plastering on my face. I listen to them laugh and I hear Peyton joining in. I roll my closed eyes at her attempt to be one with the group. "Oh, and by the way," Justin says as he recovers and catches his breath, "Jake is waiting for you downstairs," he tells me and I bolt upright.

"What? What's he doing downstairs?" I ask as I swing my legs onto the floor and stand up. I watch Justin as he kisses Peyton and then pulls my dad into him for a slow and anticipatory kiss. I clear my throat and wait for the two of them to turn around. "What is he doing downstairs?" I repeat.

"Why don't you go down and find out. He just told me that he was here to see you," Justin says as he sits on my dad’s lap and sucks his popsicle into his mouth, taking the extra time to suck down to the stick before releasing it. I roll my eyes and walk down the stairs. I see Jake sitting on the sofa and I am so focused on him that I trip on the bottom step. I recover before he has a chance to turn around completely. 

"Hey Jake," I say as I make my way over to the sofa. I sit down next to him and we both stare out the window at nothing. 

"Hey Gus," he says as we both sit next to each other, waiting for the other to speak. I realize that he is probably not going to say anything so I open my mouth first.

"About the other night," I start to say and all of a sudden he seems to let the words flow from his mouth. 

"I know I shouldn't have kissed you. I put you in an awkward position and you felt like you had to respond or lose our friendship," he says. I look over at him and I can see the hint of tears as they start behind his eyes. I watch the devastation play out on his face and I feel a little of my heart break. "I understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore," he says as the tears drop from his eyes silently. 

I look over at him and smile a little before pushing off of the sofa to stand in front of him. I take in a breath and straddle his legs, pinning him to the sofa. I crash my lips down on top of his and when I feel him relax into me I release my breath into him. I feel his tongue searching for entry and I give it to him. I know that I am right where I am supposed to be. 

I feel his arms wrap around me, pulling me closer and causing my hard cock to rub against his eager shaft. I pull back from the intensity and hold a hand to his cheek. "I was so nervous," he says as I place another chaste kiss upon his lips.

“So was I, but I could never stop talking to you,” I tell him as we rest out foreheads together. A moment of silence passes through us before he speaks again.

“I kinda have to go to the bathroom,” he says. I look at him for a minute to see if he is serious. “I was nervous. When I get really nervous my…bladder takes over,” he says. We both smile at each other and now it is our turn to laugh. 

**  
Brian's POV

I feel my cock harden as Justin slides the cold treat from between his lips. I bite back a moan and smile a little. I see Justin smile when I tuck my lip into my mouth and I pull him close again. "As soon as they are gone I am gonna fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk for at least a week," I tell him as I lick his lips and guide him off of my lap. I can see his dick straining against the fabric of his jeans and I roll my tongue into my cheek. 

"Promises, promises," he says as he takes the Popsicle into his mouth once more, walking toward the bedroom. I watch Peyton follow him down the hallway and I go over to the computer to finish a presentation. After a couple of minutes I see Gus come up the stairs with a huge smile on his face and I know that his talk with Jake must have gone better than good. I turn my attention back to my presentation until I feel him looming over me.

"Hey dad, do you think I could leave Peyton here for a couple of hours?" he asks me. I look up at him with no expression on my face. He is waiting for me to answer him and I am taking my sweet time.

"Do you ever have your mothers watch your kid? I mean we are not babysitters you know," I tell him. 

"I know that dad but I...umm, I wanna spend some time with Jake without her," he tells me and I smile at the Kinney gene that is alive and well inside my son.

"Spend some time with him," I say and it is more of a question than a statement. I watch the smile spread across his face and I refuse to laugh. "Fine, I have never been one to block a man from good cock…play safe," I say as I lean back and cross my arms.

"Thanks dad, I will," he says. He turns around and runs down the steps, taking two at a time. I close the program and go to see what Justin is up to. 

I walk into the bedroom and see Justin and Peyton sound asleep in the middle of our spacious bed. I look at his pale skin on the black sheets and he looks almost surreal. I walk over and pick up my granddaughter, pulling her in close to me. I look at her curly brown hair and creamy skin and I see so much of Gus and Chelsea inside of her. 

I walk her over to her bedroom and change her into her pajamas before putting her in her crib and closing the door, leaving just a little crack. 

When I walk back into the bedroom I close the door and peel off my clothes. I walk over to the bed and spread my body over Justin’s. I feel him squirm beneath me and I shift my weight a little. “Are you sleeping sunshine?” I ask him as I trail a hand down his side and around to his front, slipping my hand between him and the mattress when he lifts a little. I get off of him and let him flip over onto his back. I capture his lips in mine and pull him with me toward bliss. 

I slowly lift his shirt from his body, exposing the fair skin underneath. I scoot down and slip his jeans away, smiling at the lack of underwear. “Mmm…I see you were ready for me,” I say as I climb back onto his body and rub our cocks together.

“God…Oh, Brian…Mmm…shit,” he screams when I take him into my mouth fully; relaxing my throat and letting him slide home. He drops back on the bed pulling me with him, his hands gripping my hair tightly. I swallow over and over, relishing the taste of his pre cum as it coats my throat. 

When I feel him tighten for release I pull my mouth away, willing my own cock to behave. I slink up his body and wrap my tongue around his tonsils. The taste of him and I together drives us both mad. With panted breaths he moves away and reaches to grab the lube. I see the label says strawberry and I smirk at his choice; last time it was passion fruit.

I try to take it from him and he smacks my hand away. He opens the top slowly and lets a generous amount of lube drizzle onto his fingers, coating them and making them shine. He leans against the pillows that are propped against the headboard and spreads his legs. I focus my attention on his rosy bud as he slips first one and then two fingers inside. I smooth my hand up his leg and again he shrugs me off. He is making me watch…making me suffer, and he loves it. 

I fight the urge to take my own throbbing member in my hand when he slides in two more fingers, moving them in and out slowly, torturously. He pulls his fingers from his quaking hole and slips one into his mouth, sliding his tongue along the outside. 

“Mmm…Strawberry, wanna taste?” he says as he scoots down farther. I climb up him slowly, sucking his fingers into my mouth and wanting more. I feel my cock jump and I know it has been long enough. I position myself at his entrance and when I press my lips onto his I enter him fully, in one swift movement. 

I hear his breath catch and I give him no chance for recovery as I fall away from him and push in again, making his prostate burn hot with friction and need. I see the lust filled haze drop over his eyes as I pound into him, claiming him. I kiss the skin of his neck and chest, sucking it deep into my mouth until it burns red with my love. 

I pump into him until I see bright white and when his seed separates from him, bathing me in warmth I focus on his face. “BRIAN…OH GOD,” he screams as his orgasm rips to the surface. I see the crystal clear orbs of blue staring up at me and I drive home again. I give one final trust into the heated vise and my life pours into him, filling him, marking him fully from the inside. “Stay… inside… me,” he breathes out, the words traveling on shortened jabs of air. 

I crash my body down onto his and when I hear him slip into a deep sleep I slip out of him and go to clean up. I bring back a warm towel and gently clean him from our encounter. I toss the towel to the side and slide him under the duvet. I move under the warm blanket and when he turns in his sleep and slips an arm around me I feel complete. Sleep washes over me and I let it take me under. 

**  
Chelsea’s POV

I can see the lights of the city dancing on my ceiling in the darkness and I think about what I am going to do. I smooth a hand over my stomach and I almost stop breathing when I feel a little kick. I had dismissed my own condition. I had pushed it to the back of my mind and forgot about it. 

I got sick in the mornings and my stomach got tighter and I never gave it a second thought. I pulled out oversized shirts that I wore with Peyton and wore them unconsciously. Every part of me knew I was pregnant and I hid it away from myself. When my mom asked me if I was gaining weight I bought a pregnancy test like I didn’t already know the truth. 

I blow out a breath as the baby continues to kick and flip and I think for a second of calling Gus and telling him, but I don’t. I turn over onto my side and stare at myself in my dressing mirror. I don’t like what I see. I see a coward, a liar who is too afraid to face anything. I feel empty and dirty. I left the best part of myself behind and she doesn’t even know why; she doesn’t even know me. 

I reach into my night stand and pull out a small joint. I run a hand over my stomach as I twist it in my lips, thinking and wishing for strength. I need something to hold onto, I feel myself falling and fast. I light the joint and inhale the silence it brings. “Be quiet,” I tell the thoughts in my head and I smile when they listen and let me breathe.


	8. Sardines, Ice Cream and Snickers

Chelsea’s POV…

I answer all the questions that the nurse asks me as I try to get onto the bed. The sheets are cool and I dread ever leaving this room. I know the nurse wants to ask me so many things but she doesn’t. She doesn’t ask me why my clothes are caked with dirt. She doesn’t ask me why I have not washed. She does not ask me why my hair is matted or why my hands are shaking. 

She wants to know, but she doesn’t ask. Or maybe, I just don’t hear her. I look up into her face for the first time since I got here and I smile. She is tiny and cute, like someone’s grandma who has no intention of getting old. “Do you want me to hold the baby while you get situated in the bed?” She asks me.

I take a moment to process what she said. I look down at the tiny bundle in my arms and then up at her again before handing him to her. I slide myself up on the bed and get comfortable. “He is the only thing that is keeping me from ending it all,” I whisper. I cannot believe that I just said that. There is something about this woman that makes me happy. I want to be happy. I miss my daughter. 

I watch her nod her head. I like her so much. She doesn’t make me feel like pure shit. “How old is he?” She asks me. I have to think. My mind is all over the place nowadays.

“He is almost a week and a half,” I answer. I watch the realization cross over her face and I get a little sad. I watch her as she runs a hand over the sandy brown hair of my son. He looks so much like Gus, like Peyton. 

“What’s his name?” She asks me. 

“Andrew,” I tell her as she hands him back to me. “Andrew Kinney,” I say as I run a finger over his small hand. 

“Well, welcome to Togetherness House. I am sure you will like it here,” she says and disappears. I feel like the walls are about to close in on me. I am snapped out of my own feelings by Andrew crying. I lift my shirt up and latch him onto me. I lean back against the headboard as he eats and think about Peyton.

**

“As you know Togetherness House is a drug rehabilitation facility for unwed mothers,” Mrs. Grayson says to me. Her desk is taking up all of my attention but I hear her. Her desk is so intimidating, it’s big and wood and… big. “You are going to be expected to pull your own weight. Breaking the rules will not be tolerated. Any and I do mean any insubordination will result in you being asked to leave. You have one chance to make it,” she tells me as she opens my file and reads.

“I see that you were picked up for prostitution and drug possession,” Mrs. Grayson says as she looks in my file. I don’t like her. She thinks that she is so much better than everyone. She doesn’t know shit.

“Yeah,” I say quietly. I twirl the bottom of my shirt in my fingers and dig my sneaker into the carpet in her office. I look down at the dark carpet. I bet she is one of these people who appear to be so clean but are dirty as fuck. Maybe she really hates everyone, or maybe I am just bitter. 

She nods her head and I make a snorting noise. She snaps her head up at that and I just sit there, dropping my hands into my lap and biting my lip. She may be a bitch but she is one scary bitch. I sit quietly while she throws all my past in my face. I cannot believe how fast my life went to shit. Within the span of a couple of weeks I have dug a pit and crawled inside. My parents don’t even want to see me. I don’t even want to see me.

“You have your first group session tonight and a seminar in the morning. Don’t be late. Now, right now you have to go and see Jefferson. He is expecting you,” she says as she tells me a few more things. I get up out of the oversized chair and walk in the direction she tells me to. My hands are shaking and I shake them. It doesn’t help but I shake them anyway. I reach the door that she told me to come to and knock.

“Come in,” I hear and I push the door open. I step into the room and it’s not like Mrs. Grayson’s office at all. This office is nice and warm. “Hey, you must be Chelsea,” he says as he shakes my hand and motions for me to sit down. I sit in the chair in front of his desk and the softness is wonderful. “Now, why don’t we get started,” he says. I look at my watch and then back at him. “Don’t worry, the baby will be fine,” he says. “You have a son, right?” He asks and I can tell that he already knows. I nod my head and he looks at me.

“Yes,” I say. He smiles and sits back. “That’s better,” he says with a laugh as he closes my file and tosses it on his desk. “So, tell me about you,” he says. 

I point at my file on his desk. “Everything is in the file,” I tell him. 

“I don’t want to hear what a bunch of people have to say about you. I want to hear what you have to say about yourself,” he tells me. I smile a little and sit back in the comfortable chair. I could get buried in this chair.

“Tell me something about you first,” I say. He smirks and for a moment I am reminded of Brian. I shake the image out of my head and listen as he tells me about his wife and his three daughters, their house and various other things. “Wow, it sounds like you have a nice life." Why did I say that? He doesn’t press me for anything. He lets the word hang in the air as he comes and sits in the chair next to me.

“What?” I ask as he looks at me. Oh my God, he is some kind of pervert. Why is he sitting next to me? I watch him out of the corner of my eye, waiting for him to touch me, but he doesn’t.

“I am not going to make you talk. I just want you to know that I am your counselor, not your father or your boyfriend. My job is to help you see you again. When you are ready to talk you will, but not talking does not get you out of our sessions, or your group therapy,” he tells me. He hands me a journal. I take it and run my hand over the top. “You are going to write down your thoughts. No matter how random, they go in that book,” he says as he points at the purple journal on my lap. “So, do you have any questions?” He asks.

I look down at the book in my hands and then back at him. “Can I have a different color?” I ask. He motions to the wall where all the journals are.

“The boys never ask for another color,” he says as I get up to pick another color. I pick out a black one. It has a leafless tree on the cover. It seems to be crying, seems to be wanting. It seems to be waiting for something. I am waiting for something too.

**  
Justin’s POV…

I am staring at Brian and he is staring at me. This is the downside to working with your boyfriend. We know each other so well and neither of us is willing to budge. “Change the color,” Brian says as he looks from me to the boards on the desk. I cross my arms and sit back.

“No, the color is fine,” I say. He picks the top board up and looks at it closely before putting it back down.

“I am telling you to change the color,” Brian says to me again as he picks the board back up. 

“No, the color is fine. Why do you always do this?” I ask him as he looks at the board. He is gripping the side so tightly his knuckles are turning white. I watch him as he swallows and looks over at me.

“Do what?” He asks. I bite down on my bottom lip and run my hands over my pants. He stands up and turns the board around to face me. “All I want you to do is change the fucking color. I don’t understand why you are making it so fucking difficult,” he says.

“The color… is fine,” I say. I am trying so hard not to blow-up. I don’t want to fight. He needs to. I brace myself for impact. 

“Change the fucking color. I am not debating this shit with you anymore. We have been talking about it for an hour. I want it changed and I want it changed now,” he screams as he takes the board and throws it across the room. I close my eyes and count to ten. The board hits what I think is a vase. The glass crashes to the floor along with the board. I take a deep breath, look at Brian and get up. “Where are you going?”

“To my office, if you want the color changed that badly then call the art department yourself. I am not going to tell them to do it,” I say as I leave his office. I get ten steps down the hall when I hear him yelling my name. I stop but I don’t turn around.

“That’s your fucking job. You’re the head of the art department,” he screams. I turn around and look at him. I can feel the eyes and ears of all the employees. They are all on us. 

“Exactly, _I_ am the head of the art department. So let me do my fucking job. You aren’t even pissed about the boards so drop it,” I say. He drops the boards that he has in his hands and goes into his office. I look around at the employees and they quickly start doing their jobs again. I move toward Brian’s office. I pull open the glass door and slam it shut so hard behind me it almost shatters. 

“Fuck Justin,” he says as he stands in front of me. “You almost broke the fucking door,” he yells.

“So what, what exactly is the fucking problem Brian?” I know what the problem is but I want to hear him say it. We need to get it out in the open. “Is it the gallery opening?” We are both yelling now and I know that the whole office it tuned into our channel. “I told you I was being considered for a showing.”

“You didn’t tell me that the show was going to be in another fucking state,” he yells. Oh God, I cannot believe that this is what he is getting so upset about. I cross my arms. “You said, oh Brian I am being considered for a gallery showing,” he says. His voice is mocking mine. I roll my eyes.

“It’s only for three days, you can come with me if you want,” I say as I let my arms drop. It is so cute that he doesn’t want me to leave, so cute and so fucking frustrating. “We can rent a room in a grungy hotel and fuck all night,” I tell him. I step forward and place my hands on his hips. I kiss his chin all the way to his earlobe and back again until I capture his lips. I can feel his anger leaving. 

“That sounds so fucking romantic,” he tells me sarcastically as he presses his lips down on mine. I let him explore for awhile before I pull back. I lick my lips lightly and look up at him. “I still want you to change the color,” he says. 

I laugh a little. “Yeah, and I still am not going to,” I say. 

**

“Did they like the boards?” I ask as he comes through the door. He is silent as he walks over to the counter and pours himself a drink. Well, I hate this ask-a-question-and-wait-for-the-answer-for-hours game. He is lucky I love his stubborn ass. “Brian, did they like the boards?” I ask again. I have no patience and the little I do have he used up this afternoon at the office.

“Yeah,” he says. He mumbles something after the yeah. 

“What?” I ask. He thinks I am being funny, I‘m not. I really didn’t hear him. 

“I _said_ that they loved the boards, especially… the color,” he says as he takes a drink and puts his glass on the coffee table. He sits next to me on the couch and nudges me with his arm. “I am not saying sorry. I am not saying that you were right. I am not saying anything,” he says. I stop drawing in my sketchbook and look at him.

“Thank you very much for the apology,” I say. He wraps his arm around me brings his lips down on mine.

“We are all alone sunshine, for once. What do you say we explore other forms of entertainment?” He asks me. I smile as he pushes me over and gets on top of me. He reaches in between us and runs his hand over my crotch. I feel myself getting hard and I moan into his neck. “You smell really good,” he says. I almost snort. I was painting before he got home and I probably smell like turpentine from cleaning everything. 

“Yeah right,” I say. He laughs as he kisses my collarbone. I can feel his cock pressing into me and I laugh. I stop his movements and grab his head in my hands, forcing him to look at me. “As much as I would like to continue this, we can’t,” I tell him. He gives me a pleading and confused look. I turn his head to the side. Peyton is trying desperately to climb into the chair on the other side of the coffee table. “We wouldn’t want to corrupt our granddaughter.” I can feel his hard-on as it goes away and I laugh into his chest.

“Fuck, where is Gus?” He asks as he sits up. I prop myself up on my elbows. He has my legs pinned.

“He is at work, but don’t worry Jake is coming to get Miss. Peyton,” I tell him. Jake and Gus have fast settled into each other. You can tell that they haven’t fucked yet but no one says anything about it. “He should be here in about an hour and a half, you’ll be fine,” I say as he finally lets me up. I walk over to my art supply box and make sure that all my things are inside. 

“What do you mean _I_ should be fine?” He asks. Peyton gets out of the chair and walks over to Brian as he sits on the couch. He watches her work her way onto the couch. They are both smiling. I finish packing my supplies and grab my portfolio. “Where are you going?” 

“I have to go to the studio for a while. I need to finish those final two pieces by Friday,” I tell him. “All you have to do is make sure she is still breathing. Why do you seem so nervous? You’ve watched her before,” I tell him. “Jake is going to be here soon.” I grab my things and kiss Peyton on the top of the head before kissing him and leaving the loft.

**  
Brian’s POV…

I look over at my granddaughter and smile. She is always smiling. “What are you staring at?” I say with a smile as she looks at me. 

“Bwan,” she says and I roll my eyes as I pick her up. I kiss her on the cheek and she giggles and giggles. 

“Okay, maybe I will teach you to call me something other than Brian, but not grandpa, that’s just pushing the envelope a little too far,” I tell her. I place her down on the floor and watch as she disappears behind the couch. She emerges on the other side with a book. “Oh god, anything but that fucking book,” I say to her. She brings the book to me and I take it from her. “I can’t read it, it’s not nighttime. We cannot read Goodnight Moon without the moon, it’s not polite,” I tell her. I read the book anyway… stupid book. 

After the fifth read I close the book and give it to her. I move off of the couch and go to change into some jeans and a shirt. I walk into the bathroom and I hear Peyton come into the bedroom. “What are you doing?” I ask her when I come out the bathroom. She is up on the bed. I walk around the bed and over to the nightstand. I need to make sure that we have all the necessary supplies. The phone starts to ring and I pick it up. “Yeah,” I say. 

“Hey Brian, is Justin there?” Daphne asks me. 

“No, he went to the studio,” I tell her. “Do you want me to tell him you called?” I ask sweetly. I hear silence on the other line and I know she is thinking about whether or not she wants to leave a message. “Anytime you feel like answering, go right ahead,” I tell her.

“Umm no, I guess I can just call him later. Is that Peyton I hear?” Daphne asks. I look over at the small girl. She is making so much noise that I am surprised that Daphne took so long to hear her. 

“Yeah,” I say as I realize what she is sucking on and take it from her. I hold the spit soaked condom package in my hand as Daphne keeps talking. I don’t hear half of what she says. All I hear is her say she’ll call back later. I press the end button on the phone and get up. I pick Peyton up and toss the package into the trash. I hear a knock at the door and walk over with Peyton in my arms. “I could have used that condom little girl,” I say to her. She giggles and smiles. 

“Hey Mr. Kinney,” Jake says as the door slides open. Peyton starts to giggle and reach for him and I hand her to him. “Did they tell you that I was coming to pick Peyton up?” he asks me.

“Yeah,” I say as I move to let him in. “All her stuff is already ready,” I grab her bag and hand it to him. He takes the bag and moves back toward the door. I kiss Peyton and watch as he walks down the stairs. I slide the door close and lock it. I walk over to my desk and turn my computer on. I need to finish this proposal for Friday. 

**  
Three weeks later…

“You are going to meet me in Seattle tomorrow, right?” Justin asks me. I roll my tongue into my cheek and kiss him. He has asked me this question so many times already. I nod my head again and he kisses me. Gus is helping Jake load the last of Justin’s paintings into the airport shuttle. The rest of the paintings are already at the gallery. “I don’t want to go,” he tells me. I smile. He never wants to go to his gallery showings. The only reason he is going to this one is because the owner of the gallery is a really good friend of his. Her name is A-something. He says that she helped him out when he needed it. 

“And just think, three weeks ago you were pissed because I didn’t want you to go,” I tell him. He presses his face into my shirt and moans. 

“Call the gallery and tell them that I am not going,” he says and I can barely hear him. I can feel his breath on my chest and I rub the back of his head. 

“Nope, you made a commitment, so you are going. It’ll be over before you know it,” I say. 

“The car is packed,” Gus says. I look from him to Jake. I wonder what’s taking them so long to fuck. Justin catches my gaze and pinches me on the hip. I resist the urge to jump. I am a little annoyed that Melanie and Lindsay choose the day that Justin is leaving to decide to take Peyton for the day. I push the thought to the back of my mind and kiss Justin before letting him go. I watch as Jake and Gus hug him. He gets in the van and heads off to the airport. 

**  
Night…

“What are you looking at?” I ask Gus as I come into the living room. He has been sitting in the same spot for the past hour or so, not moving just sitting. I walk over to my desk and am about to grab a pen to sign some papers when I look over at where he is. I see that he is holding a piece of paper out to me. I grab a pen and walk over to where he is. “What is it?” I ask. He doesn’t answer. He holds the paper out to me. I take the paper and read it. 

“I got the formal papers and acceptance letter from M.I.T today,” he tells me. I sit down next to him and wait for him to finish talking. He needs a haircut. He looks like a skateboarder. I roll my eyes and sigh. You would never know that most of his clothes are name brands. 

“Well, what are you going to do?” I ask him. 

He looks over at me. I can almost see tears in his eyes. He takes the paper from my hand and looks at it one last time before ripping it up and tossing the pieces onto the glass table in front of us. “I’m not going. I can’t take on a full course load at M.I.T and take care of Peyton,” he says as he gets up and walks to his room. I hear his door slam and I close my eyes. I hate when they slam the fucking doors. I look at the pieces of the letter on the table and wonder if I can fix it.

**  
Gus’ POV…

“Peyton, don’t touch the T.V,” I say. I watch her as she starts to hit it again. I drop my pen down on the futon cushion angrily and lean forward to grab her. I smack her hand and as her creamy brown skin turns red I am instantly sorry. “Shit,” I say as I hug her close to me. Her screams and wails fill the loft and I feel like pure shit. 

“I’m sorry baby girl.” I can feel the frustration filling me and I start to cry. I smooth the hair out of my face and let the tears fall. We sit like that for the longest time. I hold Peyton to my chest as I sit back and grab the application for the University of Pittsburgh. They have opened a new Engineering department. It doesn’t seem too bad. 

I can feel my whole world spinning. I am so frustrated… so pissed. I wonder where Chelsea is and if she is living it up. I wonder if her life is easy. I wonder if I can change everything, take it all back? I wonder. I wonder about a lot of things. I wonder where Chelsea is right now. I look over at the phone as it rings and I wipe the tears from my face. I put my hair behind my ear and press the talk button. I feel the voice in my veins before it truly registers. “Hello, Gus is that you?” I hear Chelsea ask.

“Yeah,” I say. It’s all I can say. Speak of the devil.


End file.
